The Glow of the Spark
by sadwell
Summary: Fifth year Ravenclaw Caroline Sparks would find that trying to bring her brother into the magical world would bring her closer to unexpected people. Her brother, of course, but also a pair of devious twins, a plotting tarantula-lover and a snarky Chaser.
1. A Day in the Life of C Sparks

It was a bright day in Enfield, where the skies hang white in the sky, cloudless; like bloodless skin, yet rain still fell and drenched poor Caroline till her clothes hung to her skin and her chocolate hair stuck to her neck. She'd been caught in it, of course, as the day had begun dry and boring until the heavens opened and rain poured down.

Ma had sent her to get some shopping from the supermarket with Connor, and they'd been caught in the storm on their way back to the bungalow. The weather really did dampen his mood more than usual but he was his regular salty self, arms crossed, mouth pursed into a pout as he stomped beside his whistling sister.

"Don't you have some kind of umbrella in that stick of yours, Cara?" Connor said grouchily, heaving the bag in his arms.

"I'm not allowed to use magic outside of school." She told him, but that was apparently the wrong answer.

"What's the point then?" He sneered.

Cara sighed, a droplet of water dripping off the tip of her nose as she watched Connor stomp ahead, his small figure getting blurry in the heavy rain pour. She didn't like talking about magic with that brat, but she knew he had a right to be mad about it.

"Oi, brat." She called, jogging up to his side and ignoring his sour expression "I do actually have an umbrella, if you want to use it."

"There's no point. I'm already wet." He said.

"…I guess so."

Silence fell between the two, only broken by the odd dog sprinting by them, or the sound of the train horn echoing from nearby or by a child splashing in the puddles. It was sort of uncomfortable.

"How's school been?" She asked, desperate to break the quiet "Your maths teacher – what's her name, Miss Pretty or whatever - was impressed with your final, right?"

"Yeah." Connor muttered "I got 50 out of 51."

"That's awesome! I'm really proud of you." She grinned at him, lips twitching at the corners. She hated to think about how much effort it took to smile at her brother. It made her feel like the biggest shitlord in the universe.

"I didn't do it for _you_." Connor peered down at his shoes, and for some reason it just made Cara feel worse "…That looked like it hurt."

She frowned and looked away. "Connor, I-" But they were already in their dinky little garden with the rusted gate and wilting flowers, so the conversation was already over. Connor leapt over the gate, and barged into the house with his soaked shoes and dropped the bag onto the counter in the kitchen before sprinting up the stairs and disappearing.

"Won't see him till dinner." Ma commented, shoving clothes into the washing machine. Her eyes were far away, like they always went when thinking about Connor. "How did it go? Did you two talk?"

"I tried, ma." Cara said, unpacking the shopping and beginning to put everything away "But, he's tough."

"It's not _easy_ for him, Cara."

"I know that!" She barked, then closed her eyes when she saw her mother wipe at her eyes "You think I don't know that? Whenever I try to speak about magic, he just gets so upset-"

"Not everything is about magic. Surely you have hobbies outside of that. You two could bond over something else." Mother replied disapprovingly.

"Ma, it's not happening anytime soon." She said.

"Don't say that." Mother exclaimed, grabbing Cara's wrist and _pulling_. "You _will_ , you can't-"

" _Chill out_ , Lex." Cara whipped her head towards the garage door to see Da standing in the doorway, arms crossed, hair tied messily back "Let the kid go." Ma's hand slowly released Cara's arm, and she turned on her heel with a small noise, starting to make a cup of tea for herself. "Hey, Cara. C'mere for a sec."

She followed him into the garage, taking note of the darts in the dartboard had the Chudley Cannons logo designed on the flight. They were new. His notes from work were sprawled all over the desk in the furthest corner, with books piled up around it like some sort of barricade and towers of notebooks amongst ridiculously thick novels with potions balanced on top of them. There was a small humming of a song in the air, but amongst sound of da boogying to the song, she could hardly make it out. He had a new astronomy poster on the ceiling below the sofa, and by the sofa was nana's beanbag, floating mid-air.

"You've been decorating." She commented dryly, walking further in and closing the door behind her, absently prodding the beanbag with her finger.

"My own little haven." He told her "Could be yours too. Your ma declined. Said it's cruel to keep secrets like this."

"She's not wrong. Not right either, I guess." Cara shrugged, and leapt onto the beanbag, grinning with it stayed floating and wiggled her feet "I'd pay you 50 galleons to organise this shithole."

"No way. This is _my_ shithole. I'll shift my stuff to one side, you can have that side." He waved his hand in her direction "Don't want a coat rack anyway."

"You swine." She laughed, jumping off the beanbag and venturing further forward, reaching for a vial of bubbling black potion that smelt of liquorice. "What's in this? You better not tell me it's from someone at work. I'll tell ma you have this."

Da guffawed and side-eyed her. "No, you won't."

"No, I won't." She agreed "But, still. What is it?"

"Makes your eyes fall out." He told her, laughing a bit manically when she shoved the cork back in and placed it back on the book called _'How to Realise it's Love before it Punches you in the Face.'_ "I should probably get rid of that before the ministry get their hands on it. Got very sticky fingers they do."

"Do they have right to take things from St. Mungo's?" She asked in surprise, eyebrows raised to her hairline.

"The ministry can do whatever they want. It's filthy." He scoffed, waltzing from the desk to the sofa and falling onto it with an exaggerated sigh "Healer Carter nearly got fired for trying to save a man last Thursday."

"I bet this is confidential." She pointed at him.

"I like to believe you're trustworthy." He winked cheekily.

"Me too." She smiled "So? What was so wrong with Healer Carter saving a man?"

"The _man_ was a werewolf." Da told her "Everyone was terrified of him, afraid he'd…lose it. Curse them. But, it wasn't a full moon, and Healer Carter trusted the man's word. ' _I won't hurt you_!' He'd said. _Screamed_ , more like." Da inhaled shakily and stood from the sofa, pouring two glasses of firewhiskey and handing her one. He swirled the amber liquid in the glass, staring at it like it hypnotised him.

"Did the man die?" She asked, watching the distraught expression on her da's face. It felt like everybody today was sour. Cara supposed such a feeling was contagious.

"Yeah." Da nodded "Yeah. The head of the floor told Carter that if he pulled another like that he'd be gone in a flash. Gives them a bad name, giving kindness to monsters when there's little enough for the good ones."

"You'd think there would be less discrimination in a hospital." Cara frowned into her glass.

"Since the World Cup, everybody's been on edge." Da answered "Since that riot, and all those people came in injured, anybody different is deemed a threat."

"Isn't that _wrong_?"

"It's _fear_ , Cara." Da said, turning to her "It's what everything right now is built off."

Cara fell silent, already familiar with her Da's ranting with so much pent up rage that he confided in a fifteen-year-old girl that could do nothing but listen. Maybe, that's all he really needed.

"One day, da." She approached in a way one would to a spooked animal and patted his shoulder "One day, we can live without fear."

"What a beautiful idea." He said whimsically, turning back to her "…Want me to heal that?" He gestured to her arm, where red finger marks were bruised into her wrist, soon to become purple but he didn't wait for her response as he whipped out his wand. The bruise faded back to her regular warm skin.

"You just wanted an excuse to use magic." She grinned, cracking her knuckles "Show off."

"Maybe. Maybe not." He shrugged.

Cara stayed in Da's haven until she'd finished her drink, then placed it back on the desk and left with a wave of the hand. She heard him lock it after her. She knew it was wrong but supposed he was smart keeping it from Connor, he would blow a fuse if he knew.

In the living room, Ma was watching Wayne's World on the telly with her slipper-ed feet on the ottoman. She called for Cara to feed Rowley when he came back then went back to laughing at the film. The sounds of the radio echoed from upstairs, from Connor's room; something about football. Cara didn't care for football herself, she'd tried watching it but it bored her half to death, which just pissed Connor off more.

She found herself standing outside of his bedroom, hand raised to knock but stopping just before her knuckles hit the wood as if saying ' _are you sure you want to face this?'_ and whilst her immediate answer is ' _not really'_ she knocked anyway.

" _What_ , Cara?"

She cracked the door open and peered inside at the messy bedroom, clothes all over the floor, a muddied football in the corner, Connor lay atop the unmade bed, eyes staring up at the glow in the dark stars blu-tacked onto the ceiling.

"What do you want?" Connor sighed in exasperation. What _did_ she want? She wanted to see how Connor was, if he was alright, if he wanted to do something, like go to the park of the cinema to see that new film he wanted to watch-

" _What_?"

"How'd you know it was me?" She asked curiously.

"Who cares?" He snapped, then groaned under his breath at her raised eyebrow and said "You knock funny. Like, it's uneven."

"Uneven?"

"You wait longer on the third knock." He said, glaring at her "Is that all you wanted? To know how your knocking sounds? That's kind of dumb."

"Con-"

"If you don't want anything, then." Connor pointed to the door after a second of silence, before she could get a word out. It sparked a sudden rush of irritation inside her.

"Don't be like _that_." She snapped at him "I-!"

"- don't care." Connor snarked back "Just _go away_."

Cara blinked owlishly at her brother, face slack at the blatant…dislike from him. She swallowed thickly, fisting her hands by her sides and considered fighting him on it, trying to get him to sit with her and just talk to her. She thought that she should tell him exactly what she thought of him in that moment, but she knew for a fact that words would just light that fire inside of him, giving him more reason to despise her.

So, she turned on her heel and left the room without another word. She knew that would piss him off more and as she walked down the hallway to her bedroom, she heard the radio switch off.

Without the gentle hum of the commentator's voice, the house felt oddly quiet. Like, an unsettling sort of quiet. She could hear the quiet volume of Wayne's World, but ma always had it on the lowest setting so it was barely audible. It made her regret leaving Connor without saying something, maybe the football commentator would bring her peace of mind.

Just as she opened the door, she heard a demanding meow from the wind and saw a small, furry little head stuck between two slats of the blinds. "Rowley." She exclaimed, grinning as she rushed over to help the idiot from where he managed to get stuck and let him leap to the floor.

Rowley was a pretty fat tabby cat – whenever Cara tried to put him on a diet, he merely went to any neighbours with cat food and begged, defeating the point of the diet - with giant green eyes and the sharpest claws known to man.

" _Meow_." Demanded Rowley.

"Okay, okay, you impatient sod. Let's get some food in you." She said, shooing him from her room and following him downstairs to the porch where his food bowl and drink bowl were kept. Rowley ate with the speed of a dying man, then leapt onto her stomach and sunk his nails in, crawling up to her shoulders and resting across them.

"As cute as that was, you prick, that fucking hurt." She cursed quietly, walking back through the house, hand reaching up to scratch behind his ears as she made her way back to her bedroom.

It was the smallest in the house, her parents decided it was fairer if Connor had the biggest room, so she had a room that could fit a single bed, a wardrobe and a desk with very little space for anything else. All her friends said it was small but she preferred the word 'cosy.'

She'd had the walls painted a faint shade of yellow in third year after Luna told her it was the colour of her 'aura' which stuck with her. Her wooden blinds were drawn, letting in lines of light from outside, and the window was open so she could hear the tweeting of the birds on the fence and the woofing of the neighbours Rottweilers. The wall beside her bed was line with the charms Luna gifted her to protect her from dark spirits and whatnot, the girl often spoke about Wrackspurt's and Nargle's and aura's, and whilst others thought she was loony – cue nickname – to her, Luna was one of the sanest people she'd ever met.

Luna's owl had arrived a lot during the holiday, often perching on her windowsill for a snack which it ate whilst Cara read over the letter and scratched out one of her own. Luna had asked if she was excited to start fifth year, and had said how excited she was to be going back to school.

"I'm excited too." Cara said quietly, sitting down and letting Rowley climb down onto her lap, head tilted back to stare up at the ceiling, absently stroking a purring Romney. She didn't have an astronomy poster, or glow in the dark stars. Just, blank, white wall. It made her want to put up a Ravenclaw poster or maybe pin her scarf to the wall, for house loyalties sake, of course. Or for a splash of colour to a bare room.

Luna would appreciate that.

But Caroline Sparks knew that Connor snuck into her room when she was away, and she couldn't blatantly show off like that. She couldn't do that to her brother.


	2. Three's a Crowd!

Cara only notice that there was a couple on the train arguing when she saw Connor staring at them. They were arguing about which of their two children should sit by the window. The woman thought the boy should, and the man thought the girl should. The two children were bickering and pulling at each other's hair, tugging on ears and crying when it got a bit too much for them.

Usually, she'd probably nudge him and tell him to stop staring, no matter the slandering she'd get for touching him, but the look in his eyes made her turn back to the scenery outside, pulling her hat further down on her head.

Ma and Da had insisted she take Connor to Kings Cross, but Cara knew Connor would absolutely refuse to go and would end up visiting Aunt Carol – who adored Connor, and despised Caroline, despise her being the one named after the cow. She was pleased everybody knew her as Cara, or Sparks.

Rowley meowed from inside his carrier, licking her ankle with his rough tongue. It was a bit weird.

Connor was plugged into his portable CD player that he got for his birthday, avoiding her eyes by staring out of the window. She took his attitude in stride and pointedly ignored him as well, she didn't even want him coming with her, she'd much have preferred Da and Ma instead.

They had to switch from Totenham Hale to Victoria Line to get to Kings Cross, which Connor managed to whinge about, almost losing his ticket amongst the rush of the Londoner's.

"It's not this bloody busy in Enfield." He grumbled.

"This is a fucking city." She replied, earning herself a snarl from the thirteen-year-old. They'd ignored each other for the rest of the journey, he sometimes pushed her hard enough to stumble and she felt tempted to punch the bugger in the jaw, but she knew Ma wouldn't be happy so she went for subtle tripping which had him falling on his face a few times.

When they arrived to Kings Cross, she stopped, placed her cases on the ground where she could see them and turned to Connor, handing him a twenty quid note "What for?" He asked, voice confused.

"Go entertain yourself, idiot." She told him, rolling her eyes "So you don't have to come with me. Or go to Aunt Carol's, I don't care."

He puffed his chest out, indignant and marched forwards into Kings cross, fast enough for her to lose sight of him quickly. Cara gathered her cases and ran after him angrily, heaving her suitcases onto a trolley and panting by the time she reached the platform between 9 and 10. Rowley was losing it when she arrived, wanting to be freed from his prison that made him dizzy.

"Connor?" She called, cupping her mouth, ignoring the irritated glances from strangers "Connor, where the fuck are you?"

"Here." He said, slapping her on the back of the head "Chill out, jesus."

"If you get lost, I'll be the one getting in trouble for it." She told him, massaging the back of her head then pushing him backwards so she could wheel her trolley back "Don't be a coward." She told him.

"What the hell does that mean-" She didn't let him finish, and they're both sprinting towards the wall before them, Rowley screeching in his carrier, Connor squawking and trying to back away and Cara, pushing forwards because there was nothing else to do but that.

And finally, they arrived to Platform 9 ¾ , she allowed one of the conductor's to take her trolley to pack away for the journey and waited patiently for her to let Rowley from his carrier to climb onto her shoulders.

"Cheers." She smiled at him when he nodded towards her. "There you go, Connor. Are you happy now?" She turned to her brother, and paused. His face was pallid, eyes wide and mouth slightly open; Cara had to admit, seeing him so openly troubled worried her. "Uh, Con, you alright-"

"This is so unfair." He muttered, gripping his hands into fists at his side, voice thick with something akin to anguish.

"You're the one who waltzed in here like you knew what was waiting for you!" Cara exclaimed, furrowing her brows.

He turned to her sharply, and she was shocked to find his eyes glassy with tears "You should have stopped me!" He yelled, raising his hands as it to attack her, but she quickly grabbed his wrists as Rowley jumped from her shoulders with a hiss. He turned on her, poking her on the chest accusingly "You should've _known_."

"Connor." She hissed "Stop it."

"You took this from me!"

"I didn't take _anything_ from you!" She said lowly to him, still holding his wriggling arms.

"You took _everything_ from me." He said shakily, then tore himself from her grip and marched off down the platform with his head pushed low to his chest. Cara felt her teeth chip from how hard she was gritting her teeth, and quickly picked up Rowley from where he was licking his arm and held him to her chest, wanting to run after Connor. Whether it was to comfort him or dropkick him, she didn't fucking know.

Someone whistled from behind her, earning a meek glare over her shoulder. Angelina stood, hands on hips with her lips pursed "Damn. He was _not_ happy." She stated.

A rush of irritation sparked down Cara's spine as she stormed past the girl "Was it noticeable, _Johnson_?" She snapped and walked onto the train, only having the sixth year follow her on and into the same compartment, plonking down onto the seat opposite, arms crossed.

"Bit sour, eh, _Sparks."_ Angelina mocked.

She deflated in the seat "It's really not a good time, sugar plumb." Cara groaned, falling forwards to cradle her head in her arms, trying to ignore how her eyes moistened. She felt a hand on her hair, carding through her hair comfortingly. Angelina sure could piss her off sometimes, but she could soothe her too. But she couldn't stop remembering Connor's words over and over and over.

' _You took everything from me.'_

 _Did_ she?

Did Cara really _ruin_ her brother's life?

"Oi, whatever you're thinking, I bet it's dumb." Angelina warned from above her. "I'll find Thompson."

Her head shot up "Merlin, don't!" She groaned "He'll just fucking coddle me, try to feed me those horrible pasty's that Cho likes."

"Relationship going strong then." Angelina smirked.

"Bugger off. What about yours then? Which one'll you have this year, Fred or George?" Angelina stuck her middle finger at her.

"That was once. I was pissed. Get over it." Angelina said "Me and Fred, I dunno, I guess we're on rocky ground. But still, you daren't disrespect me, I'm a prefect." She pointed to the Gryffindor prefect badge with something akin to smugness that made Cara want to throw up.

"You can give me _detention_!" Cara exclaimed in horror.

"I _can_ give you detention." Angelina's eyes glinted "I can take house points too."

 _'You took everything from me.'_

The humour faded in an instant and she found herself gritting her teeth, staring at a mark on the glass, only jolting from her daze when Rowley hissed when she stopped stroking him.

"Who was that?" Angelina finally asked, watching as the girl cradled her head in her arms once more. It seemed to be somewhat of a comforting gesture for herself. "That boy you were arguing with."

"He's my brother." She replied thickly.

"Oh! I've never seen him before! Is he one of the younger years?" Angelina asked, but trailed off at how Cara's shoulders began to tremble. Had she spoken out of line?

The compartment doors slid open, and the twins and Lee Jordan peaked in with grinning faces which fell incredibly fast at the sight before them. "Not now." She snapped at them immediately, watching Cara with a sullen expression. "Not now." She said, softer.

They didn't move, looking a bit like deer in headlights. Frozen, as if one wrong move will get them killed. Perhaps they'd over-stayed there welcome, as Cara lifted her head and glared at them with red-rimmed eyes and with a sharp snap of her wand, shot them from the compartment with harsh flick of her wand and slammed the door closed once more.

All fight left her the minute they did, and she slumped backwards "Sorry." She coughed "That's your boyfriend I just attacked."

"Well, they should've fucked off when I told them to." Angelina grinned at her, and started a conversation about the upcoming quidditch games. Whilst Cara didn't play Quidditch as a sport, she flew as a hobby; so of course, she enjoyed watching them all on the field.

Angelina didn't stop in her ranting when she saw Cara wipe at her eyes with her sleeves. She didn't comment, she didn't ask, she just left it and Cara was grateful.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" The tea-trolley woman poked her head in with a kind smile.

"A cauldron cake please. Oh, and two chocolate frogs." Angelina quickly said, handing the money over and throwing the chocolate frogs at Cara, who didn't manage to catch them.

"I got two Dumbledore's." Cara told her, watching as the old headmaster smiled, eyes twinkling like he knew lots that others didn't – because he did - and then waltzed away.

"Add that to the hundred at home." Angelina smirked, taking a bit of her cauldron cake.

"Thanks, sugar plumb." Cara said.

"No problem, buttercup." Angelina replied with a wide, genuine grin stretched on her face "Now, eat your frog."

"Still feels as wrong as it did the first time I had one. Like I'm swallowing nature." Cara commented, biting into the leg of the frog and savouring the chocolate melting on her tongue whilst Angelina choked on her cake, snorting about 'swallowing nature.'

Cara would lie and say she felt bad keeping Angelina away from her 'on rocky ground' boyfriend, his clone and their tarantula-carrying pet, Jordan. Alicia and Katie too, but really, Cara didn't give a single shit. Angelina was hers for the train journey, and the carriage ride to the castle.

They did end up sharing a carriage, with Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell as well though. Cara didn't hold any animosity towards them, but she wasn't really friends with them like she was with Angelina.

The Weasley Twins and Jordan tried to get on with them first, pushing and shoving whilst Cara and Angelina watched in disdain until they just moved away to another carriage and got on that one instead.

"We…We saw what happened on the platform. You okay, Cara?" Alicia asked, her voice soft and gentle, dripping with pity. It felt like an adder had wrapped around her neck, cutting of her breath.

"Always." She replied.

"You can be honest with us, we're mates." Katie Bell told her with a nod and a grin. All Cara could think was ' _when was this confirmed?_ ' Though, she appreciated all the concern, she wasn't the one in pain here.

Connor deserved this.

Maybe more than Cara did.

"Course." She replied airily.

Conversation was casual for the remainder of the journey, she ended up whistling a chipper tune whilst peering out of the window, laughter completely ruining it when she saw that Spinnet was bobbing her head along to the tune.

"What was that?" Katie asked.

"Bobby Caldwell. What You Won't do for Love." She told her.

"Is it a muggle song?" Alicia sounded intrigued "You'll have to sing it to us sometime, eh, Sparky?"

"That fucking nickname again, I swear to _Merlin_." The girls broke into cackling laughter that made her ears ring, but it was far more welcome than the other thoughts lingering in her mind, so she merely laughed with them until her heart _soared_.

oOo

The Triwizard Tournament seriously put Cara on edge. It was a _Very_ \- with a capital V - dangerous competition that was built up of three HUGELY DANGEROUS contests. Yet, they allowed teenagers to take part in them. She didn't see the logic in it whatsoever, but she had no right to speak against it, not when the filthy ministry (quoting Da, of course) had agreed for it to take place in Hogwarts, with Beauxbaton and Durmstrang alongside them. Three's a crowd, Ma always did say.

It was 1:32AM when Cara awoke from an uneasy slumber. She peered up at the neon green numbers hovering above the tip of her wand for what could have been minutes, hours even before closing her eyes again, pressing her clammy face into her soaked pillow. Since she'd went to bed, she had been toiling in the duvet, stomach rolling as the previous day's events made her truly feel sick to her stomach. Cara had been afraid that she'd throw her dinner up but fortunately, fell asleep on that thought.

Cara thought back on the day before, on how reuniting with Luna was one of the greater things in life. Of course, they'd hung out during the summer but Luna was busy helping with her father's newspaper and Cara had a part-time job when school was out. Luna prattled on about everything and anything that came to mind and managed to make it all sound like somethin she felt she needed to remember forever.

"Your aura's a bit sickly, Cara." Luna always pronounced her name Kah-ra, when everybody else said Kar-rah. She didn't really know how it was supposed to be pronounced, but she liked both ways so it didn't really matter. "Eat some liquorice. It'll brighten it right up."

Reuniting with Daniel Thompson was good but not great, necessarily. He'd pressed against her side, kissed her cheek and tried to feed her a pasty at the dinner table. There was no denying that he was a good guy, but he fancied Cho – not that the bugger had any chance, what with both Cedric Diggory AND Harry Potter fancying her too. Poor sod was stuck with little, old Cara Sparks.

Daniel was a sixth year, and dedicated his studies to Potions; trying to get on Snape's good side with little progress. He had short, shaggy golden hair and a warm, freckled face; some described him as a sun god but a bit more anti-climactic.

"I missed you, y'know." He told her when they were sitting together by the fire, Luna playing cards with three other Ravenclaw's at their feet.

"Did you now?" She replied.

"Yeah! It's a relief having you constantly fidgeting beside me again." He grinned cheekily, and pulled her closer. She'd almost fallen asleep there, cheek pressed against his shoulder but was crudely awoken by the anti-climactic sun god himself carrying her to bed.

"Sleep well." He kissed her forehead and ducked out of the dorm. Part of Cara wished he _did_ fancy her instead of Cho, then maybe she could put everything she wanted into their sort-of relationship instead of giving up what she was willing for someone who would never be hers.

Cara had shot a hand out as some sort of wave goodnight, then promptly rolled onto her stomach and fell asleep. Her dreams were empty, hollow with the promise of no chance of remembering them, but she awoke troubled, stomach toiled with nausea. Rowley purred from beside her face, and kitten-licked her nose.

She blamed Connor for this, and a part of her hated herself for thinking it. But she did. Cara hated him for making her feel like this.

But she understood _why_.

She could hear the sound of rain pattering on the roof, telling her of the heavy storm that brewed whilst they slept and tempting her from her boiling bed. She put her slippers on, pulling a cardigan over her shorts and t-shirt, shoving her cigarettes and lighter into her pocket, wand in her sleeve and Rowley resting half-asleep on her shoulders before slipping from the dorm, into the common room and out into the dark corridors of the castle.

Cara quite liked venturing out after curfew. The paintings preferred to hold conversations without children eavesdropping, so the corridors were filled with soft, whispers and murmurs as some conversed. Of course, some paintings preferred to visit their sweethearts and got up to friskier business after dark, some hissed at her to get back to bed, some queried about her destination and other's smiled as if they knew something she didn't.

A peasant renaissance man wearing blue robes leant over, a pink rose held in his outstretched hand "It's an Eglantine rose." He told her "Should you not be in bed, young'un?"

"Duh." She said "You shouldn't be offering flowers to strangers." The man then said something about _never_ offering _his_ flower to anybody as it was his and then called himself a selfish but human man, before Cara trekked further away with meowing lowly as she made her way to the astronomy tower. She didn't dwell on what the man said, deeming it unimportant.

"It's nice, right, Rowley?" She smiled, and settled down under the moonlight, ignoring how soaked her arse would be afterwards, and lit a cigarette that rested between her lips. "How do I do it? How can I involve him without it seeming like I'm bragging about something he can never have?"

Rowley purred under her bent knee, taking cover. She took out her wand, and watched the clear, wobbly umbrella bloom from the tip and rested it on the ground so Rowley could be covered. He purred appreciatively.

She could see Ursa Major from here, the stars beautifully stark against the night sky. Usually, she thought that it was difficult to see the stars during the rain but despite the rainfall, the stars were clear. Cara pointed each constellation out to Rowley when she spotted them, as if the cat could really give a shit. Soon, he fell asleep under the protection of the umbrella and snoozed happily with his face pressed to her thigh.

The rain died down enough for her to reclaim her wand from the dozing cat, and consider for a second to cast a drying charm on her ruined cardigan and dripping wet hair, but instead a gentle trickle of light softly left the tip of her wand, a small butterfly blooming in the darkness and fluttering around her head and toiling around nearby, as if curious.

Cara inhaled as she watched it, exhaling with a new-found peace that overcame her. Something about the gentle flapping of the creature's wings settled her worries and nerves about her brother.

She was sort of like a moth to flame, or a cat to a laser; very easily distracted, eyes glued to the butterfly in the night that she didn't hear the footsteps slowly approaching from behind her. So distracted in fact, that when the source of the footsteps reached out and touched her shoulder, she lurched her from her daze, leapt to her feet and held the tip of her wand into the culprit's throat.

 _"Bloody hell!"_ Came the hushed chorus.

The culprit _s_ stood stock still, hands in the air with sheepish grins on their faces similar to two children who were caught with their grubby hands in the cookie jar. Of course, the two devious little bastards, up at this time probably pranking some poor, unfortunate soul; Fred and George Weasley.


	3. Foursomes plus One

The mere sight of the culprits made her exhale deeply with exasperation, drop her arm back to her side and nick the half-smoked cigarette she dropped from the floor and place it back in her mouth.

"You idiots scared the living fuck out of me." She told them sharply, watching them shift on the spot, rubbing their necks sheepishly. They were shivering, which was no surprised as they were dressed in short sleeved t-shirts and pyjama bottoms that looked thinner than her nana's skin. They were barefoot too.

"We could tell." Weasley 1 said.

"Sorry 'bout that." Weasley 2 added.

She sighed, and leant back against the wall, casting a drying charm on herself so her hair fluffed out and her cardigan didn't drag her down. Followed by a warming charm that made the two sag in relief where they stood, eyeing her strangely.

"You looked cold." She explained. "So. What is Mr Angelina Johnson and his clone doing here? Pranking some poor nobody, maybe?" She watched like a hawk as Weasley 2's cheeks flushed pink. That was Fred, then.

They opened their mouths at the same time, then sent pointed looks at one another until George began "We were looking for the kitchen actually." He said "But, then this painting offered us this weird spindly yellow flower and said it meant joys to come."

"He didn't _offer_ it, that's _his_ flower." Fred nudged him with an elbow "Merlin, terrible listener, aren't you?"

"Oops, silly me."

"What does that have to do with coming to the astronomy tower?" She droned, exhaling a puff of smoke.

"Well, we got talking." Fred continued "And he told us about this girl who came up to the astronomy tower with her 'large feline.'" He gestured to the fat cat lying on the ground, snoozing.

" _So_? You just had to come and see?"

They shared a look with each other then nodded "Yes." George told her "You were the girl crying on the train, right?"

Her cheeks flushed red, and she scoffed indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest "Don't be stupid, I didn't-I don't-I wasn't crying, ok?!"

"Then what were you doing? Were your eyes sweating?" Fred raised a brow at her "Smells like bullshit."

"It's none of your business." She decided.

"We just want to help! Y'know, we're known comedians, a good laugh can vanish all them tears away." George winked at her, and she scowled, looking away determinedly.

"You're known pains in the arse." She replied.

"Ouch."

"Now, _that_ hurts."

"Trying to be good guys, and this is how she repays us."

"Y'know, I might just jump off the tower right now, maybe then she'll see the good in us-"

Cara smirked, ducking her head low to hide her amusement at their antics. Angelina chose a good boyfriend, she supposed, humour was a big plus in someone you're dating.

"That's better." George grinned down goofily at her.

She sighed, succumbing to the fact that these idiots would probably end up making her laugh anyway, their antics usually did. It was inevitable, she supposed. "I don't see a point to it."

"There's always a point in making people laugh!" They looked flabbergasted at her statement.

"Fair enough." She replied.

"Soooo." They tried to look nonchalant, whistling lowly and tapping their feet on the floor "Why _were_ you upset, anyway?"

"Ah, so that was all a ruse to get me to spill, was it?" She snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. How could she have thought that they actually just wanted to lift her spirits?

"No way! That _was_ to cheer you up, but, you can't help us being curious." She wondered if the two always had sheepish expression on their faces, and decided that was probably it.

"Why should I tell strangers my woes?" She retorted.

A glint shone in their eyes, and the one she believed to be Fred, stuck his hand out to her which she slowly took and shook once. "I'm George Weasley, Angie speaks of you a lot y'know." Wait, _what?_

"And I'm Fred Weasley, pleasure's all mine." He winked, sliding her hand into hers to shake. His hand was rough against her soft palm, covered in calluses and rough patches of skin.

"Wait, I-I think I got you mixed up." She scrambled for words. Surely, the boy who blushed at the 'Mr Angelina Johnson' thing she said was the one Angelina was dating.

 _Well,_ Cara thought _, Angelina did say they were on rocky ground, didn't say why._ She eyed George and wondered if maybe he was the reason.

"Meh, people usually do." Fred shrugged "Even our mum does."

"That…must suck." She frowned.

"Not really, we don't care. It's fun toying with people." George told her with a cheeky grin.

"True." She smiled "…I'm Caroline Sparks. Or, Cara."

"Cara." They echoed.

For a moment, they just stood there watching the other. Cara was still reeling from the fact that George had something with Angelina, and found that she despised the idea that Fred had no clue about it. It was almost becoming uncomfortable until a sleepy Rowley walked in, and purred as he nuzzled against her leg.

She beamed down at him, crouching so she could pet him "Hiya." She crooned warmly. "Finally awake, eh? You lazy twat."

"Wha-That's-" George scrambled.

"She said that nicely." Fred commented.

"But it _wasn't_ nice."

Cara chuckled, letting Rowley approach the twins to sniff at their legs to see if they were worthy of his time. They too, fell to their knees so that they could give Rowley some TLC, but the cat only seemed interested in having George's attention.

She almost felt bad at the look of rejection on the boy's face.

"He's a fickle cat." She told him "Only likes a handful of people, like me and da and Professor Snape. Oh, and George now, of course." She winked at the unnerved boy who now had Rowley trying to climb onto his shoulders.

"Your cat likes _Snape_ and not _me_?" Fred looked heartbroken, truly and utterly heartbroken and it made her chest flare with amusement enough for her to laugh until her eyes were wet and her cheeks ached. "Don't laugh at my sadness!"

"You-You just looked so heartbroken!" She explained through laughter.

Fred pouted, crossing his arms with a huff, but his eyes glistened with something akin to joy. It almost reminded Cara of how Dumbledore's baby blues twinkled.

"Told you a good laugh would cheer you up." George wheezed from where he was now lying. Rowley had given up trying to get onto his shoulders, and was now curled on the ginger boy's chest, looking like a ball of patterned fluff. The only way to tell that it was a cat was the tail curled around it.

"I guess so." Cara said, calmer. "I'm still not telling you why I was upset, though."

"Can we guess?" George queried, but didn't wait for her to reply "It's because of that kid you were arguing with on the platform, right?"

"Did Angelina tell you?" She deadpanned.

"Nope." Fred popped "Mum pointed you guys out to us. Saw the kid when he was walking away, he looked upset too."

She knew that. She didn't need reminding.

"So, we've _theorised_ that it's that kid who's upset you."

"Wow, amazing."

"Don't use that tone with us, missy." Fred pointed at her sternly like she was a naughty child, making her raise a brow in amusement.

"Keep your guesses, I'm still not telling you." She told them.

"Who better to tell than two complete strangers?" George tried. She saw the point in it, they couldn't judge you with any biases, because strangers didn't know you.

"Two complete strangers who might use it to make other's laugh." She felt bad saying it, but Cara felt honesty was the best course of action in that moment. She felt a pang of regret at the look of hurt on their faces.

"We wouldn't do that." Fred frowned.

She didn't trust them. Not really. They mocked Slytherin's merely because of what house they were put in, for how their families lived, for how they were raised and these two managed to make a joke out of that, so surely, they could find it in themselves to make jokes about her.

Cara couldn't do it. As much as she was desperate for people here to understand, to help _her_ understand, if Connor ever became the butt of the joke, she would never forgive herself.

And as much as she _wanted_ to trust Fred and George Weasley, she knew that she _couldn't_.

 **oOo**

Cara had rightly believed that the meeting with the Weasley twins had been a one off, especially after she practically told them to their faces that she didn't trust them whatsoever. She thought that they'd fulfilled their desire to make her laugh or whatever bullshit they'd made up, and would leave her be, but apparently-

 _"CARA!"_

Cara had been wrong.

The twins had bolted up to her from around the corner, Lee Jordan following them with terrified eyes as the three of them hid behind her. She paused, floundered because three people, especially two as tall as the twins – couldn't _hide_ behind a _5'6 girl._

"This-This is _stupid_." She said, finally "What are you even doing?"

"Wait for it." Fred whispered fearfully.

Suddenly, from around the corner burst a furious Angelina Johnson, wand in hand and eyes ablaze "Where-Cara, what're you- _Oh_." Angelina's eyes narrowed on the large bodies cowering behind her. "Care to shift so I can obliterate these morons?"

"Uh, what'd they do?" She asked.

" _They,"_ Angelina shot a hateful glance in their direction, earning a chorus of mocking squeaks of fear from them "tried to put their names in the goblet of fire, used a spell that would apparently allow them over the age line."

"Did it work?" She queried.

"No." Angelina droned "It didn't, did it, boys?"

"No, Miss Johnson." They harmonized.

"Try a potion, next time." Cara suggested "They have more chance of working on stuff like that, though, it's not guaranteed-Ow! Why did you hit me?" Angelina scoffed at her.

"I like her." Lee Jordan piped, peering at Cara from between the twins' shoulders.

"You're all terrible role models!" She exclaimed and turned to Cara with a "You shouldn't be encouraging them."

"Spare me the theatrics, sugar plumb." Cara waved her off "Don't act as if you're a goody two shoes, you're a right tiger when you need to be."

" _Rawr_." Lee growled suggestively at Angelina, earning a disgusted expression from the girl.

"Did you know that she spelled Thompson's quill to replace every 'potion' with 'liquid with a purpose' because he got a higher grade than her." Cara told the three, grinning when they began snickering.

"Don't pretend you didn't find that hilarious, buttercup. Snape ripped the shit out of him."

"Profanity. You're a terrible role model." Fred shook his head.

"Thompson? Good, he's a wanker." Lee commented. "Always has something to say, that prick. Sucks up to Snape, too."

"Your mouth's always been a little big, hasn't it, Jordan?" Cara shot at him, grinning devilishly at his abashed expression, hand pressed to his chest as if torn.

"Now that was just _uncalled_ for!" He exclaimed.

"She's allowed to defend her boyfriend." Angelina said "Remember last year, when he bragged about how cute his girlfriend was? Yeah, here she is, the little cherub-" Cara batted at Angelina who started pinching her cheeks.

"Ew." The twins chorused, noses wrinkled. Lee Jordan's face was twisted in a grim expression.

"Surely you can do better than a good boy, Sparky." Fred commented, slinging an arm around her shoulders "You know he's a prefect too, right?"

"Yeah! Took house points off Gryffindor because Freddie and me-"

Angelina coughed "Freddie and _I."_

George sent her a scathing look "Freddie _and I_ made his trousers turn inside out every time we saw him."

"He never noticed until someone told him." Lee added with a snort. "10 points every time. We were skint last year."

"Your faults." Angelina sung.

Cara snorted and said "I remember that. He always came back to the common room really angry, whinging about how immature you all were."

"Who wants to grow up fast?" Fred groaned "That sucks."

"Have a sense of responsibility." Angelina admonished.

" _No_." He stuck his tongue out at her.

"Oh, by the way," Lee stuck his hand into the pockets of his robes and took out a long, flesh coloured piece of string and handed it out to her with a cheeky smile. "It's a prototype they made, only one that's worked this well."

"And…? What does it do? Wait - you're _giving_ it to me?" She raised a brow at their vigorous nods.

"I'm glad you asked!" Fred exclaimed, ruffling her hair and laughing when she grimaced "They're extendable ears. Basically, you placed one end in your ear, like this." He did so "And then throw the other end at, say, a door or a wall." He lobbed it at the door to the Gryffindor Common Room and it landed on the Fat Lady's lips which made her cry out in either shock or joy, Cara didn't want to know "And you can hear what they're saying inside. Like, I can hear Ron sobbing about Viktor Krum being in our school right now-"

The painting of the Fat Lady whinged in annoyance when the painting slammed open and the youngest Weasley boy lurched out, red faced and stuck his middle finger up at them. "Fuck you!"

"Aw!" The twins exclaimed "Ickle Ronniekins is learning big kid words! We're so proud of you!"

He slammed the door closed again.

"Anyway." George yanked the gift from Fred's hands and chucked it towards Cara, who caught it with ease "Here you go."

"Surely you need to keep prototypes to make more progress on version 2." She stated "Besides, what would I want with extendable ears?"

The three grinned toothily "Who knows? Happy Monday."

That evening, as she sat alone in her dormitory - all her dorm mates were downstairs playing poker – she sat at the desk in the corner of the room, biro in hand as she sat back in the chair, trying to write a letter home. Letter day was coming up soon and she didn't want to leave the hall empty handed.

The extendable ears caught her eye, left abandoned on the side of the desk where she put it that morning.

An idea came to mind and she leant forwards, pressing the biro to the lined paper she'd got from WHSmiths (Ma said Connor would appreciate muggle stationary instead of parchment and quill.) ' _Dear Connor,'_ She wrote _'You can't do what I can, but you should still be able to experience it.' _


	4. Dumbly's Poor Choices of DADA Teachers

"The Cruciatus Curse. An unforgivable." Moody announced, his voice seemingly coming from every corner of the room casting a blanket of silence over the students "Also known as the torturing curse. Fairly obvious in the title, isn't it?"

The class was silent.

" _Surely_ you know what it does?" Moody sounded incredulous, brow raised over his non-mad-eye.

"It inflicts intense pain on the victim." A meek sounding Ravenclaw told him, hand raised uncertainly.

"Good!" Moody clapped. "Now. I always learnt best with demonstrations instead of explanations." The Professor bent down and caught a large, wriggling beetle across the floor, and dropped it onto the desk before a small, trembling Hufflepuff girl.

" _Crucio_." The man hissed, and the beetle began to writhe and squirm under the curse, making noises that sounded to much like agonised cries to be anything else. Moody pressed harder, his hand shaking with how much effort he was putting into it-

" _Sir._ " Cara called, hand in the air, stomach rolling with how petrified the girl looked. She supposed it wasn't everyday your professor tortures an insect for class.

Moody jolted, and took the curse off the insect to whip his head up and stare directly at Cara, who watched back defiantly "Miss Sparks, was it?" He said gruffly, standing up straight once more.

"I always read that you had to _mean_ the curse when you cast it." She continued as if he hadn't said a word. "What did that beetle ever do to you?" Moody's eyes darkened as the class tittered with nervous laughter.

"Think you're funny, don't you?" Moody snarled, approaching her like a man with a plan and Cara fought to act calm and collected despite her heart threatening to beat out of her chest. "You think you know everything, don't you? That's why you're _interrupting the professor."_

"I was just curious as to why you _meant_ the curse on the beetle." She said "But, maybe you're afraid of them." She sounded patronising.

Moody's hand was clenched so tightly around his wand that his knuckles were white. She wondered if he might snap it but before she could think any more on it, he jerked with his face twisting and wobbling. Cara was worried he might throw up and hoped that he would avoid her and her desk but he merely fumbled for the flask on his belt and swigged a few mouthfuls before wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"…Are…you _okay_ , sir?" A Hufflepuff asked.

"Quite." He grunted, and stumbled back to the front of the classroom, his glass eye swishing about as he composed himself. Cara felt as if it had frozen on her for a moment, for a split second before focusing back on the whole class. The beetle was still on the table.

"As I was saying," Moody coughed wetly into his hand "The Imperius Curse is another unforgivable curse. Does anybody know what it does? Anyone?" The class didn't peep. "Miss Sparks, as you're so desperate to speak, surely _you_ know what it does?"

Cara swallowed thickly. "It makes the victim completely under the caster's control." She answered stiffly.

"That's _all_ you can manage?" Moody mocked her. "I'm almost disappointed! I expected more."

"It takes someone with exceptional strength of will to resist it." She added, glaring at the man obviously enjoying her discomfort. He clapped his hands together, and the class simultaneously jumped.

"Exactly." He said "Why don't you come to the front, Miss Sparks? We can see just how _strong willed_ you are."

Cara could feel the eyes of her classmates burning holes on her person. She didn't want to go up beside that man, she didn't want him to take her control away from her, she didn't want to lose her pride, her dignity by having to do anything this _Auror_ told her to do.

She didn't want to be _controlled_.

Olivia – the girl sitting beside her – placed a hand on her arm and tugged gently, whispering "Don't do it. C'mon, think about this. It's not _right_ for him to do it."

Cara wanted to listen, she wanted to do the smart thing and stay seated but she couldn't bring herself to refuse. She didn't want to give Moody a reason to feel like she was a coward. She didn't want him to feel like he one upped her. She knew there was no way she would resist the curse, nothing had challenged her enough to make her s _trong._

Yet, she stood from her desk anyway, slowly walked to the front with her head held high, heart in her throat.

"You'll be disappointed," She told him, voice low with discomfort and nerves "If you're expecting me to resist it."

"Good thing I wasn't expecting anything else." He replied, and pointed his wand at her " _Imperio."_

Oliva exclaimed "Sir-"

Immediately, she felt the curse slam into her mind's wall, faltering for a few seconds more than Moody was expecting. He had to push harder, and the curse broke through the walls, wrapping itself around her mind and making itself at home. She could feel Moody's magic in her head, and it was _dark_. It was _filthy_.

"Your magic is disgusting." Cara found herself saying. She regretted it immediately, hearing the class gasp in shock and seeing the look of pure, unadulterated anger on Moody's face.

"You've got a mouth on you, girl." He sneered and suddenly, her head was filled with the need to fulfil a task, a tugging that told her she had to be successful.

If only her task wasn't to fucking dance around the room, clucking loudly and embarrassing the absolute fuck out of herself. If she wasn't busy, she'd be cursing more colourfully than a sailor because the class was _laughing_ at her, all because of _Moody_. Her pride had been trodden on, soiled. So much for having a reputation.

It wasn't only her classmates laughing, but Moody was roaring at the front, bent over and holding his sides as he practically pissed himself. He was enjoying tormenting her too much.

And then, it was over. She stood, limp-limbed, dead eyed once more before her giggling classmates and clenched her fists at her side, wanting either to punch Moody or jump off the Astronomy tower.

Moody let the curse off her, his slimy magic left her mind and she felt like her mind had just been placed back inside her body. Like the curse had, for a moment, taken hold and placed her brain on a shelf in storage and replaced her for a moment. It was extremely disorienting and made her feel sick to her stomach.

Though, that might be the embarrassment.

Without another word, she walked back to her desk and sat down, eyes staring hard at a crack in the desk, hands clenched into the hem of her skirt. Cara felt a throbbing ache in her head, at her temples, the promise of a soon-to-be headache.

"Are you okay?" Olivia asked her, voice a whisper.

Irritation filled Cara, she knew it wasn't warranted, Olivia was allowed to be worried but Cara was angry. She felt so stupid. "Don't pretend you weren't laughing." She replied, and ignored everything for the remainder of the class.

"Okay, bugger off now, all of you." Moody finally dismissed them, making the class practically sprint from the room and just as Cara was about to escape, he called "Except you, Sparks."

Ah, fuck.

She held back, ignoring Olivia's concerned gaze and a few Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's who were holding back to talk to her. She dawdled by the doorway with her eyes trained on her shoes.

"Go, you don't have to wait for me." She told them, and once they had slowly walked away, she closed the door behind her.

"Come, sit." He said, patting the stool opposite him. He conjured a pot of tea and two teacups onto the desk "Sugar?"

"Yeah." She nodded, perching on the stool uneasily, and didn't say a word when he added milk. Cara usually didn't take milk. She liked her tea to have the usual aftertaste non-milky tea gave you.

"About today's class, Miss Sparks." He began, after taking a long sip of his tea "My teaching methods have always been a bit out there." Cara bit back a quick response by swallowing too much of the boiling tea and burning her tongue.

"Do you usually curse your students?" She went for joking, but her voice ended up too dry, too sour for it.

"I've never taught a class before." He admitted.

"I wouldn't have guessed." She said, and internally groaned knowing that she probably stepped out of line again saying that. She finished her tea off quickly and placing the teacup back down. "Is that all, sir?"

Moody looked thoughtful for a moment, eyebrow furrowed and lips pursed as if trying to come up with something to say. She supposed he wasn't a people person, more of a lone-wolf kind of guy so he usually didn't have to think of things to say. "I apologise for what I did today, Miss Sparks, it was…unprofessional of me."

It looked hard for him to say. "Thank you, sir." She said slowly.

"You can go." He waved at her, dismissively. Cara was up and out of her seat in no time, walking briskly away from the DADA classroom until she was far from it. The apology made her feel even more uncomfortable with him, she didn't know why. Maybe it was because how difficult it looked for him to say it, like he didn't mean it but knew he _had_ to do it.

" _Meooow."_

She was brought from her stupor by a long, satisfied meow from the potions classroom just ahead of her. She saw the tip of a tail swish around the corner and followed hurriedly. It was Rowley, walking somewhere with a destination in mind. He walked as if he knew exactly where he was doing, into the dungeons and sliding through the crack of the door into…Snape's classroom? She scurried forward and stuck her head in slightly, jaw falling open.

Rowley had plonked on his desk, sitting on an ancient potions books as he purred happily whilst the potions teacher stroked him. The man's face wasn't twisted into the usual unamused, bitter expression but something softer, maybe not a _happy_ expression, but something less spiteful. It certainly was a change.

She opened her mouth before considering otherwise "I take it you've accepted that he likes you?"

Snape snapped his head towards her, face immediately souring at her unexpected appearance "I distinctly remember telling you to stop allowing your cat to roam the halls." He scowled.

Rowley hissed at he sudden lack of attention, and seemed to imitate Snape's expression. "You don't seem bothered." Cara smiled "Besides, he's a cat, sir, he finds his way out of the common room to explore." 

"You're telling me he escaped the Ravenclaw common room on his own?" Snape droned.

"No." She said "I'm saying he's cute and the younger kids like him, and if he looks pathetic enough, they let him out."

Snape's eyes gleamed with something that could have been amusement "Tell them not to, or else that fifty points from your house." He stated, standing from his desk in a flurry of dark robes. It would have been dramatic had he not paused to scratch Rowley on his furry little head, making the cat practically preen.

"You know, if you sounded angrier, I might believe you meant that." She commented, scratching her neck awkwardly. Before he could reply - he certainly looked ready to take all of Ravenclaw's house points - she quickly asked "What do you think of Professor Moody?"

He paused, and leant back on his legs, crossing his arms "Why do you ask?"

"It's just-I-Well-"

"Stop stammering, girl!" He snapped, approaching swiftly, closing the door behind her. He loomed over her, eyes narrowed "Speak clearly. You should always keep your head if you're nervous."

"I'm not nervous." She mumbled, cheeks red.

He raised a brow, and she huffed.

"He put me under the Imperius Curse in DADA just now." She told him, sighing "I don't know the school rules to a T but surely it breaks some sort of teacher code."

There was a heavy silence on Snape's end that lasted a bit too long for Cara, so she lifted her head to peer at him. His face was set in stone, gaze hard as he stared down at her.

She blinked at him in concern "Sir, are you oka-"

He cut her off "Stay away from him." Snape ordered her.

"I can't, he's my DADA teacher-"

"There is no rule in which you must interact with him besides class." He scoffed at her "Don't provoke him, he's a…sensitive man." Cara snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That so?" She questioned. "Did I _upset_ him, then?"

Snape didn't seem amused, and matched her irritated expression "One day, Miss Sparks, you might actually _listen_ to me."

She was silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts. The pulsing between her temples was starting to become painful enough for her to mentally complain to herself. "Professor," Cara trailed off unsurely "Are you telling me to avoid him because he's sensitive, or for another reason?"

The dark-haired professor looked pensive before muttering "Believe what you must."

"That doesn't answer my question!"

"Ten points from Ravenclaw."

Cara was aghast "For _what_?"

"For wasting my time." He snarled, lurching to his feet with enough vigour to make Rowley hiss and leap off the desk and out of the room. Snape opened the classroom door and pointed outside of it "Now, get out."

" _Fucking hell."_ Cara grumbled, standing up and exiting the classroom angrily "Rowley has terrible taste in professors."

"As well as owners." Snape replied smarmily "Also, another ten points for _profanity_." Then slammed the door in her face. Cara stared at the door in shock, eyes wide and then cursed loudly, and turned on her heel, away from the door, hands knotted in her hair.

There were two little first years standing a few metres away, watching in both fear and curiosity. They had a short staring completion before she growled at them. " _What_? What're you staring at?"

They squeaked and turned away, hurrying briskly down the corridor. A part of Cara wanted to laugh because one of them got their foot caught on his robes and fell on his face, but he started sobbing so she healed his bloody nose for him and led him to the infirmary where she also nabbed a potion for her headache and a Dreamless Sleep potion.

"Don't have too many, dear." Madame Pomfrey told her "They can become addictive, you know."

"Yep. Da says the same." She nodded appreciatively at the woman before leaving, and heading back to the common room before dinner. She was mentally exhausted after Moody's disturbing lesson, her classmates laughing at her, Snape's defensive attitude, losing Ravenclaw a good 20 points and the cherry on the top of the cake, those two first years who witnessed the beginning of her derail into madness.

Merlin, she could do with a nap.


	5. Idiotic Potion Brewing

Luna was waiting for her the morning of letter day, with Rowley perched on her shoulders looking a bit peeved as he licked his paws. She smiled in her usual soft, whimsical way and hooked her arm in Cara's as they made their way to the Great Hall.

They were greeted by Cho, Daniel and Padma when they sat down, and engaged in simple chatter. Daniel slid in beside her, and wrapped an arm around her waist as he ate overly-buttered toast and Cara drank down two goblets of pumpkin juice.

"Are you excited about hearing from home?" Luna asked, opening the newspaper in her hands upside down "I am. Father is so busy when I'm away, with The Quibbler. I do hope he is doing alright."

"I am." Cara piped up "I didn't write to ma or da this time, actually. I'm hoping Connor's gonna reply."

"Oh! How wonderful." Luna grinned joyfully, eyes gleaming "I'm sure he'll see the effort you're putting in to including him." It was unspoken between the two: ' _hopefully he'll put the effort in too.'_

"I hope so, Luna." Cara smiled down at her hand on the table "Have some jam, your toast looks bare."

"Thank you, it's the best flavour as well." Luna took the gooseberry jam from her hands and smeared a generous amount onto her toast, taking a dainty bite.

"I think your dad's owl is here, Dan." Cho called, pointing to the black owl flying over, doing flips and tricks before settling before him and dropping a thick envelope onto the table and a small parcel. Daniel grinned, and opened the envelope swiftly, eyes scanning the scrawled writing.

"Dad got his job in the ministry!" He beamed "He's been wanting that jobs for yonks! Fudge must've really seen how amazing he is. Finally!"

"That's wonderful!" Luna told him as she opened a smaller letter from a tinier owl that cooed at her. As she read the letter, her lips soothed into a soft smile "Father says you should come around more often, you have potential in the newspaper industry, you know."

"Do I now?" Cara smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. Seeing everyone around her tearing open letters and grinning joyfully as they read them to their friends whilst she sat there, empty handed made her heart ache.

 _Come on Connor,_ she thought, _just a sentence._

Finally, after what felt like eons, she saw her da's owl fly quietly in and gently lad in front of her, holding a small letter in a muggle envelope, written on paper torn from a notebook. In neat capital letters read 'CARA.'

Luna watched over the newspaper.

She closed her eyes for a moment, and then opened the folded-up paper and felt her stomach drop. Ma's handwriting was always tidy, carefully thought out so as not to waste paper.

 **Dear Cara.**

 **We all hope you're having a wonderful time away at school, though your da's a bit shifty now that you're not here to gossip with so he's running headfirst into his work. You should write him to get his head out of his arse. Stays in the garage all the time, I can hear him almost cracking that dart board with how hard he throws them darts!**

Ma had always been one for casual banter, when she wasn't stressed out. Cara supposed that this was one of Ma's better days.

 **How is school? I hope you're getting all the work done, considering that ridiculous profession you're aiming for. I hope you know I hate it but I'll keep my hands behind my back, it's not for me to decide after all.**

Casual guilt-tripping, she thought, Ma really despised the fact that Cara had always longed desperately to be an Unspeakable. It was such a mysterious job, she had always been lured in my mysterious things but Ma just called it incredibly dangerous and a career set to kill you.

 **I've been getting on with my English and maths, now that I work with K, I I really have to get going! Maths and English are necessary in teaching jobs I suppose, even if it is with five year olds. Though, as I talk out loud when I'm studying, I'm getting a bit paranoid in the house if I'm honest, it's like there are no walls! Everything I say, Connor knows it. His hearing has gotten amazing since you've been away. That, or he's become all-knowing!**

She'd always been so proud of her mum for re-taking her English and maths, though she was disappointed that she quit her job in Gringotts to work in a muggle primary school. Apparently it would make Connor feel less left out but Cara knew that it just pissed him off more and made him stomp off to the park with his friends. She doesn't comprehend the last part of the paragraph.

 **By the way, Da wants to chat about that tournament going on in Hogwarts this year. I don't like the sound of it, far too dangerous for school kids, though I'm relieved they're not letting eleven year olds participate! Don't try anything silly, like putting your name in otherwise you'll be getting a howler from me and your father.**

Good thing Cara had more sense.

 **Good news! I was scouring through a few cook books and found a new recipe for dinner when you come home, it's some kind of version of Ratatouille. I think you'll love it so I'll make it on the day you come back. Aunt Carol might join us as she wants to see Connor more. Don't be mouthy if she does, she's very honest but she's still your elder.**

 **We miss you lots, and love you so much, write back soon.**

 **Love from**

 **Ma, Da and Connor.**

Cara wasn't even disappointed. Not as much as she thought she'd be at least. There was a part of her that just _knew_ that Connor wouldn't reply to her. He probably knew it was an owl that had to send the letter, and refused. She understood. She knew it was hard.

"It wasn't from him, was it?" Luna asked softly, hand placed on her arm.

"Love from Ma, Da," She said "and Connor."

"He didn't have a say in the letter then," Luna replied "That's a shame. I was hoping he'd put effort into your siblinghood."

"It's not a big deal." It was "Pass the maple syrup, would you, Luna?" And thus, she binged on too many pancakes dosed in maple syrup and made herself sick for the rest of the day. So much for focusing in class with her stomach turning.

It was only in last period that she re-read the letter whilst McGonagall rounded up the lesson and felt her eyebrows raise. **_Everything I say, Connor knows it. That, or he's become all-knowing._**

He'd used it.

 _He'd used it._

Connor had _used_ the extendable ears. She had gotten through to the brat! Her overwhelming joy overpowered McGonagall trying to get her attention and it was totally worth the hour detention after class for 'ignoring her elders'.

 **oOo**

It was usual for her day to be sabotaged by two red heads and a kid with dreadlocks, usually fleeing from an angry prefect. Though, she would admit that this was far more casual than she was expecting.

"Where's sugar plumb?" She asked the three as they walked down the corridor – the three had jumped her as she left the Ravenclaw common room stairway. "She's usually chasing you three for being idiots right about now."

"You always say that." George moaned.

"Because it's true." She retorted, smirking when he grumbled out ' _true_.'

"Can I call her sugar plumb too, Fred?"

"She doesn't even like you calling her by her name, I doubt she'll let you call her the Cara-Specialised-Nickname." Fred snorted, slinging an arm around Lee's shoulders when he pouted.

"Answer my question!" Cara exclaimed.

"She's in a meeting, right now, _honeybear."_ George drawled, copying Lee and Fred's casual position as they walked "Can I call you that? It's sick having nicknames."

" _Honeybear_? I _repulse_ that." She grimaced.

"Definitely calling you that then." George grinned.

"Leave the _kid_ alone, Georgie!" Lee grinned at her glare "You're 395 days younger than us, you're practically a baby." Silence fell, and they turned to Lee who immediately became nervous under all the attention.

"Dude." She said "There's 365 days in a year." His face dropped as the twins burst into fits of laughter "Merlin, I'm mentally older than you and I'll take that any day."

"You tried, man." Fred wheezed, patting him on the shoulder.

"It was a _valiant_ effort." George added, wiping his eyes, crow's feet gathering at the corner of them.

"Ugh, leave me alone. I'm sad now." Lee said, though his eyes gleamed with amusement despite him being the butt of the joke.

"Aw, Lee no, don't be sad." Cara giggled, hooking her arm in his "Just, if you don't know something, don't say it out loud."

"That's _everything!"_ Lee wailed comically, making them roar with laughter, leaning on one another.

"Ok, ok, we're actually going somewhere." George chuckled, leading them all around the corner and to the portrait of the Fat Lady. Cara paused, and tried to block out hearing them all chorus the password.

"Have a lady friend with you, ey? Shame I can't join you boys." The Fat Lady winked, and giggled as they swung the portrait open, climbing inside. Fred turned and held a hand out to her to help her inside.

"I-Am I _allowed_ in here?" She queried unsurely.

"Sure, why not?" Fred grinned cheekily, taking her hand and practically dragging her inside "Welcome to the Gryffindor Common Room!" Cara peered around the room, there were a few students dotted around, sitting down, studying or relaxing with friends but she was focusing on the warm colours surrounding every inch of the walls, the warmth radiating from the fire, the cosy armchairs and sofas, the soft rugs. It was nothing like the Ravenclaw common room.

"Wow." She said "It's…cosy."

"Anything like your one?" Lee asked curiously, placing his chin on her shoulder.

"No, not at all." She shook her head, hair swaying into Lee's mouth, making him grimace and sputter "Oops, my bad. Ours is bigger. It's a bit bare, really. Like nobody actually goes in there."

"That sounds shit." George told her honestly.

"George!" Fred and Lee slapped his stomach "You can't just say someone's common room sounds shit!"

"It's not shit! It's home for us." She scratched her wrists and waved away George's sheepishly apologetic expression "Anyway, what did you need to come here for?"

They all brightened "We need another opinion."

"On?"

"An idea. How good are you at potions?" Lee pressed.

"Um, averaging on an Exceeds Expectations." She told them, feeling weary of the predatory grins that stretched across their faces. What had she gotten herself into? They led her up to the boys dorms to keep their plan private and plonked down on Fred's bed.

They ran her over the brief. The twins wanted the reward for winning the Triwizard Tournament so they could afford a shop in Diagon Alley. They wanted to own their own joke shop and they were _this_ close until a guy called Ludo Bagman tricked them at the World Cup, and left them skint. They were red in the face with anger by the end of the rant and the two remaining promised them they'd gift them with chocolate frogs for days if they chilled out.

"Anyway," Fred began "We're not old enough to compete and that damned age line is stopping us from just sneaking our names into the goblet."

"We want to brew an ageing potion," George continued "so we can put our names in, compete and win. We need you – our potions master – to finish it off because it's kinda tricky."

Cara was silent, staring at them in bafflement "…I hate to break it to you, but you do know that that won't work?"

"Aha! That's what _you_ think," Fred said matter-of-factly "But the thing about our plan is that it's so ridiculously stupid that Dumbledore wouldn't have dreamed that anyone would do it."

"He would definitely think that you two would do this." Cara argued vehemently.

"C'mon Sparky, surely there's a chance it could work?" Lee tried, leaning up on his elbows to look at her.

She struggled for words, especially with three boys sending her puppy dog eyes and finally muttered out "…I suppose he could be saying that the age-line does something but it really is just a scaring tactic, so…I _guess_ there's a _small_ chance but-" but she was cut off.

The three burst into loud cheers as Lee lurched from the bed and grabbed a suitcase from beneath a bed opposite and placed it onto Fred's bed. She leant in to peer inside and saw the ingredients and tools for the ageing potion.

"How long have you had these?" She asked.

"Uh, since the opening ceremony?" Fred replied sheepishly, tugging on his collar and laughed when she sighed exasperatedly and slung an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm not saying it'll work." Her voice was mumbled in Fred's uniform, deadpan "There's a chance it'll extremely backfire."

"How could it backfire?" Lee asked.

"Wait and see." She smirked, shoving Fred away and slumping back onto the bed, crossing her legs "I'm always one for entertainment."

"You're just laughing at our suffering now, Cara." George complained nudging her knee with an elbow.

"Possible suffering."

"At least help us brew it, you're the one exceeding expectations."

"I'll tell you if you're doing it wrong." She offered, and sat up, yanking a pillow into her lap as she watched them follow the first few steps then pause and peer down at the book and share confused glances then read it out loud once more. "Stir anti-clockwise!" She barked as they were about to stir clockwise "Surely you know the difference! If you stir it clockwise it'll turn into a poison and you. Will. Die."

Fred quickly listened to her life-saving advice and stirred anti-clockwise, eyes wide "Fuck, it's a good thing you're here." George said, patting her on the shoulder and passing Fred the next ingredient.

"Otherwise we'd be dead." Lee explained.

"Thanks for explaining." She deadpanned.

It got a bit boring when they had to boil it for an hour. She was still hugging pillow on her lap, looking over her charms homework for tomorrow whilst the three on the floor played exploding snap.

"You know, I think a housemate of mine is doing this too." She commented, rolling onto her back and leaning her head back so she could watch them, hair tumbling down and grazing the floor. "St. Fawcett, I think her name is."

"Looks like we're not the only one with bright ideas, eh, Freddie?" George grinned toothily "Has she done it yet?"

"Nope." She popped the P.

"Good! We can be the first! Might give us more chance of being the champions." Fred placed a card down on the floor, followed by a loud explosion and rambunctious laughter. "C'mon Cara, play a round with us!" He urged.

She surrendered, and played a few rounds with the boys until Lee insisted that he couldn't play 'Patience' ever again. It was too quick for him and he apparently had the reflexes of a crippled 90-year-old man and that _that_ was why he stuck to commentating Quidditch instead of participating.

Once the potion was brewed, she watched them put the smallest drop into the vials as they only needed to be aged up a few months, not years and then knocked them together as a promise for tomorrow, when they were going to try it out.

As the twins were complaining about the smell of the potion, she nudged Lee with her foot "Say, are you doing this too?" She mimed downing a potion and raised a brow.

He grinned mischievously at her "I'm waiting." He explained "To see if it works for them. If it does, sure, if it backfires, nah, I'm good. Ya get me?" He winked and she laughed.

"Forgetting that you thought there were 395 days in a year, you're a clever guy, Jordan." She told him.

He groaned into his hands "Can we fucking get over that, _please_." Cara guffawed, which was an obvious ' _never.'_


	6. Two Ginger Twats Approach a Goblet

Angelina Johnson was a multitude of things: A menacing chaser, a loyal friend, a fierce fighter, a mastered witch, but most of all, she was a determined Prefect. This was proven in the fact that she was snarling and cursing at Cara as she dragged the girl by the ear to the Great Hall for 'being an accomplice in a ridiculous attempt against the rules of the tournament.' In conclusion, she was very, _very_ angry.

When they first bumped into each other, it was pleasant, as per usual with them two, with the usual nicknames and banter, but then she asked where the twins were and everything went to shit.

"I TOLD you not to get involved!" Angelina continued her rant, ignoring the wince from the girl when she tugged on her ear too hard "You even suggested a potion instead when they did the first attempt-"

"Ouch, ouch, careful! I've got earrings!" Cara whinged, pushing at Angelina's wrist "In my defence, you should've known."

The glare she got sent made all words die in her throat, and a sheepish grin appear instead. "You'd better hope that they haven't done it by the time we get there or else."

"Really? Like what?" Cara asked.

"You're getting on my last nerves, Sparks." Angelina warned, and she knew it was time to play it down because Angelina had whipped out the 'surname card.'

"Look, I told them in my not even work, so, if it backfires then at least we get a good laugh over it." Cara replied, as Angelina slammed the door open making everybody in the room spin towards them with wide eyes, looking similar to deer in headlights.

But the sight before them made Cara cringe, especially when Angelina's nails dug into the skin of her ear. The two had made it in time to see the twins drop the scraps of parchment into the blue flame of the goblet and burn them into ashes. Angelina's eyelid twitched.

"What do you think you're doing?" Angelina exclaimed, yanking Cara forward as they approached the twins, the crowd of people around the twin's parting like the red sea.

"Giving it a shot." George replied, a giant grin stretching across his face that matched Fred's "And you'll never guess what Angie?!"

Cara tried "Don't jinx it-"

The ignored her. "It's worke-!" The crowd around them suddenly cheered, clapping in awe at the pure ridiculousness that seemed to have actually been successful. It didn't last long, though.

Suddenly, the flame of the goblet went wild, shooting around the room. The two gingers shared a panicked glance before they were shot from the circle and slammed back to the ground with an echoing thump that left the occupants of the room in complete silence.

"Yeah." Angelina deadpanned "That worked."

Cara guffawed, slapping her hands over her mouth as it echoed in the quiet hall, making heads spin to her. "Sorry, sorry." She said but she couldn't keep down the bout of giggles that escaped her, especially with the two lifted their heads to reveal the headful's of white hair and the long, thick white bears that challenged even Dumbledore's beard.

"You said?"

" _You said!"_

She felt someone lean on her shoulder, but she was too busy laughing at the scene before, wiping the tears from her eyes as her chest heaved and her shoulders shook. The sight of Angelina tapping her foot on the ground impatiently just made it ten times better.

"I'm so fucking glad I didn't do it." Lee wheezed in her ear.

"I dunno, I'm kinda curious if your beard would be dreadlocks too." They shared a glance, and burst into another round of laughter, gasping out words they couldn't decipher and gesturing to the fumbling bodies on the floor. The two didn't even take notice to Viktor Krum marching in which cause everybody to turn in amazement.

"You two need to go to the hospital wing." Angelina told the twins once Krum had left the hall. "You know Summers tried it this morning, right? Surely you knew this would happen."

"Sounds like the beginning of a joke, doesn't it?" Cara voiced.

"Two ginger twats approach a goblet." Lee snorted. "What's the punchline?"

"Don't think it needs one." She grinned toothily, meeting the boys eyes and they fell into rambunctious laughter once more.

"How many people have come up with this idea too?" Fred repented, slumping back onto the ground. "You can stop anytime now!" The laughing grew louder " _Ugh._ "

Lee and Cara shuffled over, crouching over the boys; she immediately went for Fred's beard and tugged on it "Damn, that's almost real, isn't it?" She commented and giggled "I guess Dumbledore thought if you wanted to age up, you wanted to be _his_ age."

"He's centuries old!" Fred cried, though his lips twitched up at the corners "Instead of the infirmary, how about we just trim it? We've got wands for Merlin's sake, we should be able to wave it and it'd be gone!"

"It's not that simple." Angelina said.

"What's the bleeding point of magic then?" George replied, swinging an arm around Angelina's shoulders, a mock expression of anguish on his face.

"Wands aren't for your cut and dye treatments, _George_." Lee said, attempting to sound stern but snorted at the end of the sentence.

"Can I plait this?" She turned to Fred.

He grinned. "I'd be offended if you didn't." She fought the grin that threatened to appear on her face, the corners of her lips upturning. Cara reached for his beard and plaited it into a lovely French braid that anybody would be proud of. Shame Madame Pomfrey had to de-age the twats and get rid of it.

"Grow your hair out and I'll do two." She said.

Fred smirked cheekily "I dunno, you might start charging me."

"Tempting, Weasley, but I don't want anything you've touched." She replied "I don't know where you've been." He whacked her arm and she laughed; a loud, clear laugh that rung like church bells. "Seriously though, you look…better like this."

His eyebrows rose to his hairline "Really?"

"You think you look better as an old man?" She felt heat crawl up her neck, realising what she said could have been considered flirting. Thank Merlin Angelina wasn't here, even if she was rendezvousing with George. "You look good ginger."

His grin could be compared to the sun beaming from the sky or the light from the heavens. It was disgusting how wholesome it was, fucking Gryffindors. He ruined it by being cocky immediately after, anyway, so she wasn't too bothered, really.

Later, when she was sitting amongst her peers at the table, Luna by her side speaking about a new spell she learnt that summoned fairies at your whim, Daniel munching as politely as a hungry boy could manage on a chicken drumstick as he spoke to Cho from across the table, Cara nibbled on a bread roll, lost in her thoughts.

They had hardly been back at Hogwarts for two weeks, and somehow, fifth year had already become the most… _eventful_ year, which said a lot as You-Know-Who turned up in second year, there was that Basilisk in third year and the criminal on the run in fourth, yet throw two gingers and a spider-loving wanker at her, and she she's suddenly thrown off course.

She had always been Caroline Sparks, always fairly happy with how her life but there was no arguing how completely average she was. She had never considered herself very memorable or interesting. She was nothing like Luna who was the definition of magnificently unique and interesting, so it was just a question flooding her mind: 'what they hell were they doing?' Of course, before fifth year, she always found herself laughing at their stupid jokes, frowned in disapproval of pranks verging on cruel but overall, found them funny but sort of…untouchable. Like, people you watched from afar but would never come into contact with.

Or, maybe they were just trying to figure out why she was upset on the first day back and when they found out, they'd leave her in the dirt. The thought made her heart ache in her chest.

"Cara?" Daniel nudged her arm with his elbow, crumbs clinging to his lips "Caraaa?"

"Are you dreaming, Cara?" Luna softly pressed her palm to Cara's arm, eyebrows raised and baby blues wide – but that was a normal thing with Luna, owlish eyes always staring right into the soul.

Cara nibbled the bread roll in her hands. She enjoyed spending time with them, even if they were idiots, and seeing Angelina more was a nice surprise this year too but she could help but feel like she was butting in on a year long friendship that didn't really _need_ her-

" _CARA_!" Daniel exclaimed loudly enough to make a few heads in the hall swivel to peer at them, but he finally pulled her from her daze and making her jolt, knocking over her goblet of pumpkin juice with a shocked noise. "Merlin, sorry!"

"It's okay-I was, uh, daydreaming." She replied sheepishly, spelling away the mess with a swish of her wand.

"About what?" He asked curiously.

Luna smiled as if she could read Cara's mind, which oddly terrified her in a way. "Your aura glows with joy, Cara. It's those boys, isn't it? Ronald's brothers and Lee Jordan."

"What? You're friends with **them**?" Daniel looked almost horrified.

"I guess so." She shrugged "I dunno really."

"You 'dunno'." Daniel mocked "How can you not know? Cara, did you know that they spelled my trousers inside out every sodding day? They're fiends! Just wait till they do it to you!"

"I don't wear trousers."

He glowered at her. "You know what I mean. They're nasty people. I don't like them."

"Nobody can like everybody." Luna commented. "I thought it was quite funny. You were very cross."

"Course I was cross, it was embarrassing." He huffed, cheeks a bit red when he saw Cho giggling from across the table. "It's not funny, it's mean. I'm a prefect, I have a certain reputation to uphold."

"Prefects don't have to be extremely strict people, Danny." Cara replied "They can joke around and act human. It looks better to take things in stride instead of throwing a fit about it. Specially about something like that."

"Oh c'mon, just because you're friends now, you're defending _them_? Instead of your _boyfriend_?" He groaned "Four years down the drain!"

"Hey now, I'm not taking sides." She said "Just making observations and giving advice."

He sneered at her without any sincerity and Luna giggled from beside her as she spooned peas into her mouth. "I think it's quite nice. I've spoken to Ronald a few times, but I haven't had a chance to meet the twins." Luna told them "They glow orange, ironic, isn't it?"

"Freedom." Daniel frowned "What does my aura say, Luna?"

"Green means safety, I think. Jealousy." Luna replied, tapping her chin "and ambition. Very fitting, I'd say. It clashes a bit with Cara's."

"That's unsettling." Cho commented "You'd think their… _auras_ would look good together."

"What're you trying to say, huh, Chang?" Daniel threw at her, amusement glistening in his eyes.

She smirked "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Cara felt a bit lost. She burrowed closer to herself, feeling as if Cho _was_ suggesting something a bit unsavoury and Daniel didn't even care about it. He was just _amused._ Maybe she was the one being a wet blanket.

"Yellow means remembrance." Luna said softly "And cowardice."

Uneasiness filled her. She stood from the bench, climbing out and flattened her skirt over her thighs. "I think I'm going to go back to the common room. I feel a bit ill."

"Do you want me to join you?" Luna asked, eyebrows together in concern, lips parting as if wanting to say more.

"No, no it's okay. I think I'm just gonna…sleep or something." She said, twisting and clicking her neck. "I'll feel better after a nap, I bet."

"You sure?" Daniel asked, reaching for her hand. She tried to not think about how she stepped back to avoid his hand and smiled brightly at her friends, saying she'd maybe see them back in the common room if she wasn't already asleep.

She left the Great Hall, navigating through the corridors and wondering why she had to make every conversation dull by overthinking small things. Maybe Cho's comment unnerved her because she knew that Daniel fancied her. Who knows?

"Sparks." Came a voice to the left of her.

She jumped and spun to see Moody, walking down the corridor, his usual limp making his body jolt with every movement "Professor! I- uh – I didn't see you." She exclaimed.

"You weren't lookin' for me." He replied gruffly. "You should be in the hall, I believe."

"I'm going back to the common room." She explained, shifting on her feet "I feel a bit sick, is all."

"I see." He nodded slowly "Well, you best go back and rest up for tomorrow, no such thing as slacking at Hogwarts."

"Course not, sir."

He grumbled something under his breath that she couldn't decipher and hobbled by her in the direction of the hall, and she took that as she could leave and walked down the corridor once more.

She recalled Snape telling her to stay away from this man, hearing his warning echoing in her head she stopped dead in her step, and turned back around to watch the staggering figure of the Auror. "Oh, sir?" She called, not too loudly as he wasn't that far away from her.

" _Yes_?" He raised a brow, glass eye swivelling.

"Are you getting up to bad things?" Was she testing her luck? Trying to make any ounce of luck she had waste away because of this Imperiusing-professor? Merlin, she had no sense! "We've had little fortune, here, you see."

"What do you think you're sayin', Sparks?" He questioned, eyebrow furrowed angrily. She was definitely testing fate, here.

"Merely a query." She shrugged "Just thought I'd ask."

"I don't appreciate what you're suggesting, anyhow." He fumbled for his flask and downed a few mouthfuls. At his words, she smiled in a way that felt sour and filthy on her face.

"Sorry, sir." She said, and turned around, walking back down the hall, feeling an eye and a glass eye burning holes into her back. In her head, she reprimanded herself, chanting ' _next time, just keep your mouth SHUT!'_

The riddle the Ravenclaw door gave her was simple, thank Merlin. "You are my brother, but I am not your brother, who am I?" It asked.

"You're a sodding door." She grumbled "Your sister."

"You shouldn't mention it though." It said "But, granted." The door swung open, and she slipped inside, immediately she went to her dorm and collapsed onto her bed, sighing into the pillow, kicking her shoes to the floor.

Cara closed her eyes, but didn't fall asleep.


	7. Champions and Comparisons

**A/N: Do you think Cara fits in with the story? Have I done justice writing everyone else? Idk I'm so bad at characterisation so if they're OOC I'm so sorry. Thanks to everyone who has read and left a follow or favourite! I really appreciate it :D Please leave a comment as they are my life source!**

* * *

"Now the moment you've all been waiting for," Dumbledore announced across the hall. Silence fell and it almost seemed like everybody inhaled a gulp of air and held their breaths. "The champion selection."

With a swift wave of his arm, he dimmed the fires lighting the Great Hall and pressed his palm to the goblet, practically caressing it until the goblet turned pink.

"It almost like the goblet is blushing, isn't it?" Luna giggled into her ear.

"Is Dumbledore courting it then, eh?" She replied with a small smirk, elbowing Daniel when he shushed them.

"The Durmstrang champion is…Viktor Krum!" Durmstrang exploded into applause, slapping the boy on the shoulder, getting boisterous cheers from his school as he got up from where he sat and shook Dumbledore's hand and walked away.

"Who would've thought?" Daniel whispered sarcastically, sticking his nose in the air when she shushed him.

"The champion for Beauxbaton's is…Fleur Delacour!" Beauxbaton's clapped with the odd cheer from some of the students as Fleur grinned and stood up primly from the seat to shake the headmaster's hand, following Krum's footsteps. Honestly, Cara wanted to know how they knew where to go. Maybe this was a conspiracy and it had all been planned.

"The Hogwarts champion is…Cedric Diggory!" Hogwarts erupted, the strong and silent boy burst into a contagious grin, cheeks red as he leapt to the front and away to wherever the others dashed off to. "Excellent! We now have three champions! But in the end, only one will go down in history! Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory, the Triwizard Cup!"

"Trouble's brewing, Cara." Luna said, resting a hand on the bench so their fingers tangled. She always did that, it was a calming gesture, apparently. The Goblet of Fire, which apparently should have stayed blue, but was going wild, spurting out fire and then fading to blushing pink as before.

"Is it choosing another?" Cara watched, dumfounded as Dumbledore slowly approached as the small slip of parchment flew from the Goblet and he caught it in his palm. The hall was deathly silent.

"Harry Potter." Dumbledore said quietly, and if anything, it made the Hall fall into a tenser silence, all heads twisting to look at the Boy Who Lived. "Harry Potter?" Potter still hadn't stood up, shifting uneasily backwards so he was almost hidden "HARRY POTTER!"

Finally, the boy was pushed out almost aggressively by Granger and stumbled to the front, uncertain, unsure, looking far too young and confused in that minute. Sometimes she forgot that he was just a kid who had to grow up too fast, but in that minute, he looked like the fourteen year old it was and it was quite grounding. He looked as if was walking to his public execution, which, in all honesty, he could be.

"He's a cheat!" Someone shouted.

"He's not even seventeen yet!" Some idiot yelled, as if that wasn't obvious.

The minute Potter was gone, Dumbledore followed hot on his heels and the entire hall erupted into pure chaos. There was shouting, yelling across the rooms and scorning Harry Potter's name. It seemed unfair, especially how unsure and put off his friends appeared.

It made her think. She would hate to be in Potter's shoes. Having so much pressure on your shoulders, you'd feel constantly afraid, surely. That you're fucking everything up, that people could die and it'd be your fault – having so much responsibility for your whole life…sounded so terrible. And now, this? Somebody up there was really not on Potter's side.

"You're friends with Ron, why don't you go…comfort him, or something?" Cara suggested.

"We aren't friends, I spoke to him once and he called me Loony Luna. But, I appreciate him." Luna explained calmly, apparently the only calm and lucid one in the sodding room. The professors were getting stressed as their attempts at trying to calm everybody down was to no avail.

Cara was silent. "D'you think he did it? Put his name in?"

Luna too, was quiet until she shook her head, long blonde curls bouncing "No. No I don't think so. Didn't you see his face? Only an innocent boy could look so afraid."

"Guilty people can be afraid too, y'know."

"But there's always a part of them expecting that they'll get caught." Luna turned to her. "Harry Potter did not put his name in the Goblet of Fire, Cara. He is such a misfortunate boy, I don't know how we didn't see this coming."

"That's a good point." Cara admitted "Good friends with Potter, are you? You're quite defensive of his case."

"I can see you are as well." Her smile is teasing "You've always defended him, haven't you? Empathised, I think. But…I don't think I've ever spoken to him, really." Luna said "But, he wears his heart on his sleeve. I can see straight through him."

"You can do that to anyone." Cara laughed "So, he's transparent, then?"

"Exactly."

She side eyed the girl and nudged her gently with her elbow "Say, I think he could use some of your wisdom, don't you?"

Luna's eyes twinkled. "Most could, really."

 **oOo**

The twins, Lee and Angelina were sitting outside on the grass, bathing in the sunshine which cast a soft warmth over the landscape despite the chill in the air. Lessons were officially over for the day, and they had grasped Angelina the one time she didn't have prefect duties to over-react to. All they needed to do now was locate a specific chocolate haired fifth year.

She was, in fact, simple to find, as they spotted her crossing the field hand in hand with Daniel Thompson. Lee gagged at the sight, pretending to stick his finger down his throat at the sight of their interlocked hands, but ultimately stopped when Angelina shoved her elbow between his ribs.

"Hey!" Angelina called, grinning widely when Cara spotted them too. The girl's face brightened. "Cara! Come over here!"

"Sugar plumb!" She called, beaming, dragging Thompson over – whose face considerably darkened when Fred groaned in exasperation loud enough for him to hear.

"Do we have to?" Thompson complained in Cara's ear.

"Com'on, they're not that bad." She tried, and plonked to her knees by the four of them with a toothy grin. "You've all met Danny, haven't you? Hey-Oi, come over here, they don't bite. Hard." She winked in his direction.

Thompson frowned but approached and knelt by Cara's side "Hey. Angelina." He nodded politely in her direction. She rolled her eyes at Cara who snickered but, feeling bad that Daniel felt sort of out of place, she interlocked their fingers again until he relaxed his muscles.

"It's freezing out here, what the hell are you lot doing?" She asked, rubbing her arm with her free hand when she felt the goose bumps rise on her hidden flesh. Autumn was coming earlier this year, apparently. She was glad she was wearing a woollen jumper.

"Just chillin'." Lee said, earning strange looks from Angelina and George. "What? I heard Diggory saying it. I'm allowed to as well, y'know."

"He's a champion and is cooler than you." George replied.

"Don't kick my ego like that, I'm popular." Lee stuck his nose in the air indignantly "Oi, Sparky, defend my honour over here!"

"You're cooler than the Twins." She said.

They gasped, slapping their hands to their chests, spluttering "Wha-How-How _could_ you?" She raised a brow in amusement, trying to fight the corners of her lips tweaking at the corners. Daniel didn't look amused.

"We _trusted_ you."

"After all we've done for you!"

"Betrayal stings, doesn't it, Georgie? By Cara, of all people."

"What does _that_ mean?" She laughed, unable to stop herself from grinning till her cheeks popped out "You're both pansies. Take things in stride, might help you out a bit too." She gently nudged Daniel with her elbow and met his eyes.

He sniffed. "Dunno what you mean."

"Anyway." Fred said loudly "We were thinking about nipping down to the Three Broomsticks in a minute."

"Bit parched, are you?" She asked with a smirk.

"My mouth is as dry as the Sahara Desert." He replied, grinning.

"You can come too, if you want." Lee said, voice flat. Cara had no idea why he held animosity for Daniel, maybe they didn't and they were only sour because Daniel was bitter about the inside-out trouser trick.

"Thanks, I think I will." Daniel said, holding her hand a bit tighter than before. She didn't question it.

"Off we go, then." Angelina heaved herself to her feet, then stood to the empty side of Cara "Drinks are on me. Did you know I get away with being eighteen?" She smirked slyly down at Cara "I'll buy for the youngster, at least."

"I'm only a few months younger." Cara responded petulantly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm gonna buy the most expensive drink on the wine list now. Hope you're proud of yourself."

Fred guffawed "As if the Three Broomsticks would have a wine list."

"You've probably never been anyway with a wine list." She sneered jokingly, smirking when he did the same back.

"Easy, children." George said. "No fighting when we've got company."

"So, they can bite each other's heads off when Thompson _isn't_ here?" Lee queried.

"Merlin, no, don't be disgusting Lee." Fred said, looking at Lee with a grimace twisted on his face.

"You always take things too far." Cara added with pursed lips. Fred turned his head to meet her eyes and winked, making her smirk and red creep up her collar. She ignored it and tried to controll her laughter for the sake of dry humour.

Lee stammered for words, whipping his head between the two of them in shock so fast that his dreadlocks smacked him in the face "Wh-OW- _What_? It wasn't even that bad!"

They both raised their eyebrows at him.

"Was it?" He said meekly.

"Yes, Lee." Fred replied tersely "It was the most absolutely, magnificently, the MOST average thing you've probably ever said. Honestly, I'm kind of disappointed you didn't go further."

Lee blanched "What?"

Cara laughed, it echoed through the chilly air as they walked through Hogsmeade "Just pulling your leg, you wanker. You looked almost as bad as Fred when he thinks someone's mad at him."

"Hey!" Fred whined.

"He only looks like that when he thinks _you're_ mad at him." Angelina smirked, nudging her with her shoulder affectionately, but only managed to get an alarmed expression of the girl. Daniel didn't like her words one bit by how he tightened the arm looped in his tighter.

"What's she suggesting, Cara?" Daniel whispered.

"I don't know! How would I know?" She murmured back.

"They're _your_ friends!" He snapped, yanking away from her arm when they walked into the Three Broomsticks. She glared at him with fiery eyes, wondering how such a dedicated prefect could act so childish at times. Complete sodding hypocrite.

Cara liked the Three Broomsticks, because it was a small, homey pub that smelt of wood and beer, emitting a warm glow as it started to get darkish outside. Thankfully, it was nowhere near time to get back as it was getting dark earlier nowadays. They sat in the corner of the pub, Lee and George squeezed in one side and Fred on the other "Com'on Cara, wouldn't dawdle if I was you." He said, patting the seat beside him but faltering when Daniel raised a brow at him "What?"

"Surely you should sit with your _girlfriend?"_ Daniel beckoned towards Angelina, who was now sitting squished beside George at the end of the bench, both looking up in surprise when Daniel spoke.

"We're all friends here, man." Lee tried, but was ignored.

Cara swallowed thickly. Maybe Daniel coming with them hadn't been the best idea, but it wasn't like she had been the one who invited him. The thought immediately made her feel guilty, almost like she didn't want to spend time with him but pushed it down when he moved past her and sat down beside Fred instead of her. Fred looked a bit put out. She slid in beside Daniel and peered down at the drinks list in front of her.

"I'm thinking firewhiskey." Angelina stated "Everybody likes a good firewhiskey."

"You're mental. We have class tomorrow!" George said to her. "If you get us drunk, you're paying for it."

"We'll all take care of each other." Angelina responded, smirking at him. Cara could see the way George looked at her; warmly, like how da looked at ma, or how ma looked at da or how her neighbour looked at her husband when she was knitting in her porch and he was reading an army novella.

There was definitely something going on between them. She wanted to confront them about it, but it wasn't her place whatsoever to question what they were doing. She got that horrible, gut feeling that she did the first time she'd properly met the two. Of the hatred she felt that Fred was clueless to what could be going on behind his back.

"I'm not a fan of firewhiskey." Daniel told her abruptly.

"What d'you want then?"

"Butterbeer, thanks." Angelina sent Cara an odd glance, then stood from the bench and approached the bar. Cara knew she'd be fine, so she didn't bother watching in fear she'd get caught underage drinking, though she was surprised how okay Daniel seemed with it.

"You alright?" She whispered to him "You're on edge."

"Really? How could you tell?" He scoffed quietly, and fell silent once more. She felt a bit awkward; usually they were good at communicating, but it felt a bit wrong now, like she wasn't sure what to say or didn't really want to say anything.

Cara only half-listened to Fred and George plotting their next prototype for the inevitable future of their joke shop, and muttered undecipherable words when she was addressed. She was pissed off that Daniel could put her in such a mood. She compared how Connor made her feel to how Daniel made her feel, and pondered on the fact that Connor made her feel guilty and want to be more but Daniel just exasperated her.

Angelina came back with the drinks, struggling to carry them all and commented on how the barman winked at her when she ordered. "He totally knew, what a champ." She laughed, sipping her beer. Cara gulped hers down, hoping it'd help ease her up, which might ease up Daniel who was as stiff as a statue.

"He's always lenient with us, though, in' he?" Lee remarked "Prolly knows how tough it is being in Hogwarts when Harry's around, eh?"

"Trouble magnet, he is." Fred replied, laughing.

She felt a bit out of place amongst them when Daniel was by her side, and considered piping up multiple times to say something but rethought and decided it wasn't good enough to say. Even after a few drinks and she was feeling tipsy, head lolling around and eyes hazy, Daniel met her eyes in the way that used to make her melt, but she found herself wanting him to leave, so that she could have fun hanging out with them.

Suddenly, Daniel stood from the bench and awkwardly climbed over her, walking out of the pub with a stony face. "Daniel!" She called, but he didn't turn back. It brought her back to how Connor left her on Platform 9 ¾ , walking away with his shoulders hunched and head bowed.

"What's his problem?" Fred muttered, voice slightly slurred as he crossed his arms over the table and sipping his drink. "He's been in a right strop since you two turned up. Put a right downer on the mood." He pressed his hand onto Cara's shoulder, a comforting weight that might've soothed her worries, but not then. Definitely not. "Don't worry about him, Cara. Have another." He offered her another but she ignored him and continued to stare at the door with her lips pursed and eyes hard.

"He obviously isn't fond of us." Lee replied "Just like we aren't of him. No wonder, though. Bit of a stuck up, isn't he?"

" _I'm not a fan of firewhiskey."_ Angelina copied, rolling her eyes.

"Stop-he's not a bad guy." Cara tried, glancing back to the door, hoping he'd turn up again but she knew for a fact that he wouldn't.

"Forget about him for now, Cara." George said to her, smiling softer than she'd ever seen on his face. It didn't soothe her worries, though "Let's just have fun without that twat."

"I…" Cara frowned deeply, eyes focused on her hands pressed to her knees and jerked from the bench, stumbling slightly and turning back to the four with a troubled expression that made them sober up as fast as snapping your fingers. "I can't, y'know?" And she was gone.

Silence descended over the table, until Lee whistled, earning a slap on the back of the head from both George and Angelina. Fred bowed his head as the door to the pub slammed shut, then downed the drink he had offered Cara.

Cara ran into the freezing night, casting a lumos so she could see the world around her then jumped three feet into the air when she spotted Daniel crouched by the entrance to the pub, arms around his knees and staring at a puddle by his shoes.

"You didn't even run after me." He murmured.

"I did-"

"Not immediately."

She fell quiet. "Let's walk back." He stood from the ground, and headed towards Hogwarts, oddly quiet. The silence was tense, but less tense than when they were with the others. It felt sombre and Cara knew that her and Daniel wouldn't last the night. She prepared herself for the inevitable despair she would feel at losing him.

When they were by the entrance to the school, he stopped and turned to her, eyes hard. "Cara, I dunno if we can stay like this." He finally said, after moments of silence.

"Stay like what?" She murmured.

"I _heard_ you!" he exclaimed, and spun toward her. She was horrified to see that his eyes were watery. "I heard you, you wanted me to leave to be with-with them!"

"Heard me…?" She repeated, then felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. She'd thought it. She'd thought how she wanted him to leave, because she wanted to have fun with the others. How she felt out of place with him there, oh fuck, oh fuck-

"You're a fucking legilimens." She barked "Digging through my head, were you?"

"Yes, I fucking am!" He yelled "This is ridiculous Cara, we can't go on like this! It's pretty obvious that twin likes you and you obviously like him back!" He rubbed the nape of his neck awkwardly, eyes glistening in the starlight "Only get's worried if _you're_ mad at him, tries to get _you_ to sit next to him instead of his own _girlfriend_ , and the way he looks at you, the way he _thinks_ about you, for fuck sake, Cara!" Cara jumped when he began to yell, out of frustration obviously, from the way he tore his fingers through his hair.

"I…I don't like Fred. Not like _that_ at least." She stammered "The way he thinks about me?" She asked meekly, eyebrows furrowed "Fred, he's just Fred. He's kidding around most of the time, so…so don't take him too seriously, yeah?" She inhaled shakily, wrapping her arms around herself as the breeze whipped through the air, sharp and bitter.

"Cara, you're always there." He sounded so off, so low that it made her stomach clench "In his head, somewhere. It's like he can't stop thinking about you."

"We're friends." She tried "Friends think about each other all the time."

He huffed, and crossed his arms "Fine."

Cara bit her lip, looking around her as she shivered and felt that now was the best time to ask the question she'd always wanted to. Time to get some sweet closure. "D'you fancy Cho?"

His face became guarded once more. " _What_?" His voice was laced with disbelief.

"You heard me."

"Yeah-but-" He frowned, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his trousers "I-Well-I've always sorta liked her, but, that doesn't mean I liked _you_ any less-"

She smiled, and his stammering stopped. "I knew, and I'm not even a legilimens." There was a tone of humour in her voice that fell flat and made Daniel grimace. "Don't worry. You're not exactly subtle, besides."

"Cara." His lips pressed together, and she could only describe his expression as remorseful. "I'm sorry, Cara. I do like you, and I really wanted us to work out, but I dunno, what I felt for Cho, it never left."

"It's a shame." Cara smiled at him, though she knew it was completely false on her face and Daniel knew it too as his face crumpled more on itself. "I did like you, y'know." Fucking year down the drain, eh? She thought, the voice in her head was snickering but, on the outside, Cara wanted to cry. Just a little bit. A part of her always adored hearing how Daniel bragged about her to his friends, now he never would again.

Da would say that it was just a boy, and the relationship wasn't a real relationship so she'd get over it soon enough but it felt more than that. It had felt real, once. It felt far more real now than it ever did, really.

"C'mere." He said, and wrapped his arms around her. It made her feel small, and a little bit humiliated so she didn't hug back. Perhaps slightly petulant of her, she wouldn't hug him again after this probably, so before he could retract, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him.

"We could still try." He said.

"No." She answered "I think this is it for us, Danny."

He nodded stiffly against her.

When they parted, she felt she was looking at a stranger she once knew. Walking to the common room together was uncomfortable, as they'd literally just broken up and was relieved to get to her dorm room, and into the joint bathroom, so she could sit on the toilet seat and cry a little. Just to humour her tipsy little heart.

The thing about Daniel Thompson, is that he definitely reminded her of Connor Sparks. Maybe _they both_ made her want to be more, to be better for _them_ , because at that moment, she was only letting them down.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading 3**


	8. Sparky, meet the Golden Boy

**A/N: Spelling mistakes are a thing and I hate that. Harry Potter doesn't belong to me and I don't make any money writing this lmao. All characters belong to J.K Rowling herself, except my OC's of course. A big thank you to Jdiddy3, SWQuinn, sarabeara188, IDreamtheImpossibleDreamer HotaruKitsune, Wolverine123, hannahisabannana, invoicemeforthemic, sheepinkgirl and xxJustBeingMexx for favouriting and following! I'd really appreciate comments as they're my life source ;^)**

* * *

Look, maybe it was a hangover, or maybe it was _just_ a headache. She told people the latter, but she knew it was the former. She'd had a potion, and went to breakfast half-asleep with major bedhead.

"I did say green and yellow clashed." Luna murmured softly to her, pressing her cheek to Cara's shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. Cheers Luna." She muttered lowly.

"Sorry about you and Daniel." Olivia commented, patting her arm sympathetically. Cara felt it a little patronizing, though she knew it was all good intentions. It gave her little peace of mind.

They were met by Cho, Padma and Daniel when they sat down opposite them, and it was pretty sodding clear that the only reason Padma sat between Cho and Daniel was to separate them both. It was uncomfortable, to say the least. She supposed they were trying to be thoughtful, but it just irritated her. Daniel who kept shooting her quick glances from across the table as he spooned cereal into his mouth. She would have preferred to be sitting beneath the Whomping Willow than there.

She ate a slice of toast, pretending to listen to Olivia drone on and on about transfiguration and how admirable Professor McGonagall was, but Cara was only half there. Her toast was too dry as it tried to slide down her throat but made her splutter into her goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I don't think today is your morning." Luna said, earning a middle finger from the coughing girl. "My bad, that probably doesn't make you feel any better, does it?"

"No shit." She wheezed into her fist.

"Why don't you have some water?" Cho offered, gesturing to the jug in her hand and passed it over when Cara nodded, affirmative. She gulped down mouthful after mouthful until she really, really needed to piss and regretted her decisions immediately.

"You can drown from drinking too much water." Luna piped up.

"That's enough water for me, thanks." Cara gently pushed the jug away, though it was pretty much empty. "So, transfiguration first, then what? Potions, right?"

"Right." Olivia nodded "And last, we've got that magical creatures rubbish with Hagrid. He's probably gonna show us the Pegasus that Beauxbaton were flown here by."

"Rubbish?" Luna echoed, owlish eyes blinking in surprise "I hardly doubt it's rubbish, it's amazing, is it not?"

"Meh, It's not my cup of tea." Olivia explained "That hippogriff last year gave me the heebie jeebies."

"Buckbeak." Cara said.

The blonde girl beamed, reminding Cara of blinding rays of sunlight. "Did he bow to you, Cara?" She asked inquisitorially.

"I didn't fly with him, but he bowed. Didn't seem fond of me, really." She admitted "No bother. Beautiful thing though. My ma loves magical creatures, likes Bowtruckles."

"Did she go into work with them?" Cho asked with a polite tilt of the head.

"Nah. Works in a muggle primary school." She replied.

Cho furrowed her brows "How come?"

"Ah." Cara frowned, lips tugging down and considered what to say then shrugged "Just wanted to, I suppose. Likes kids and doesn't want to handle all that uncontrolled magic, you know?"

"That's understandable." Cho smiled, laugh tinkering throughout the hall. Cara deadpanned when she saw Diggory peer over from the Hufflepuff table, eyes warm as they fell on the dark-haired girl. Soon, the hall was bustling with students hurrying to lesson, some still sat on the benches shovelling food into their mouths as they were late down to breakfast – mainly the youngest male Weasley, who looked a bit like a pig as he ate.

"We best be off." Olivia stood from the bench, stretching her arms above her head "Sit with me, yeah?"

She inclined her head, implying ' _yeah, sure.'_ Cara did, indeed, sit with Olivia in Transfiguration, and was forced to work with Bentley in Snape's class which was like setting her up for immediate disaster as the sod didn't do shit in class. Just chewed too much gum with too much saliva in his mouth so it squelched loud enough in her ear to give her goose bumps.

Other than Bentley's saliva filled mouth, Cara liked to believe she was subtle when sending glances in the Professor's direction. She didn't know whether to consider Snape knowing more about Mad-Eye Moody than he let on and it unnerved her enough to have her tense and stiff when in DADA.

"That's five points from Ravenclaw, Miss Sparks." Snape announced, voice loud and clear from the front of the room. She jolted from her daze as the left side of the room groaned. Cara stared at the peeved expression on Snape's face, abashed.

"What for?" She demanded.

"For focusing more on the Professor than your potion." He sneered back, gesturing to her cauldron. Her neck flushed in embarrassment, and she stirred the potion counter clockwise. In the end, it was mediocre at best.

"Next time, we'll do better." Dribble dripped down Bentley's chin and he quickly sucked it back into his mouth without a word.

"We?" She echoed.

"Yeah, we work well together." He said and for a moment, for a split second, she wondered how he didn't get the shit ripped out of him every day in Snape's class "Say, heard you and Daniel broke up. Sorry bout it."

She supposed he wasn't too bad.

The end of the lesson couldn't come sooner, and when Snape finally let them leave, she shot from her stool and made her way to the door, only to be stopped by the mans droning voice.

"Yes, sir?" She said, exasperatedly.

He only began when the door closed as the last student left the classroom. "I've been informed by Professor Moody that you asked him a very…curious question the other day." Snape said, narrowing his eyes down at her "I intend to find out whatever your up to, Miss Sparks."

She pursed her lips at the stiff tone of his voice, verging to the point of anger, surely. "I don't know what you mean." She frowned, averting her gaze from his "…There's no point in lying to you, sir. You'll just do the same back."

"The audacity." Snape hissed, eyes narrowed in irritation. He crossed his arms over his chest and leant back on his desk. "Tell me, Sparks, what did you ask Moody?"

"I asked if he was getting up to bad things." She confessed, tugging on the hem of her skirt. "He is though, isn't he, sir? No way Dumbledore would allow a professor to Imperius a student, and what's in his flask anyways-"

"Hold your tongue!" Snape snapped, making her cut off sharply and bite her tongue between her teeth. "Sparks, I endeavour that you keep your mouth shut about Moody, for your own sake."

"Sir?"

"Dumbledore admitted he was acting differently. Is that what you wanted to know? Are you _satisfied_ yet?" Snape's voice was dripping with malice, the topic seemed to really bother him, for some reason. Maybe it was not knowing that was aggravating him so much.

"Yes, sir." No, she wasn't.

"How unequivocally wonderful." He lied, sealing her proof that if she lied, then he would lie back. It was almost like he didn't know how to tell the truth. "Now, leave."

She did so, and exhaled a sigh of relief when she exited the dungeons, slinking towards the Ravenclaw common room to relax until last lesson. She had an essay to right, besides, and if she didn't have the plan done by tonight, at least, she'd never get it done.

But, fate wasn't on her side.

As she rounded the corner, she paused at the sight of Potter himself tied up from neck to ankle in rope, as three students loomed over him, sneering and grizzling out nasty comments that made her want to sock them all in the jaws. Potter was writhing in his bindings, teeth gritted. His left eye was purpling, and his lip looked sore but his eyes were aflame with fury.

That was the thing with him, in her eyes at least. He was either a kid who didn't ask for any of this or a fiery Gryffindor, ready to fulfil his destiny as 'the Chosen One.'

But, she supposed he couldn't really prove himself when tied up and outnumbered by two. Surely the boy who lived needed a helping hand once in a while, right?

Before Cara could even snap her fingers, she'd got her wand from her pocket and shot it towards the main bully, flinging her wand from her hand and snatching it from the air.

"What-" She snarled, eyes narrowed "Sparks? What the fuck are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" She replied, winking down at Potter, who stared at her with wide eyes. She noted how his lips moved without sound, and felt anger rise inside her at the fact that they must've silenced him so as not to hear him cry out as they hurt him. Complete and utter arseholes.

"Like you're bothering us." One of her goonies muttered – Sara Heartly, her name was. They were actually in her year, too. Said a lot that she didn't recognise them at first, didn't it?

"You're bothering Potter, here." She added, feeling a bit on edge as Heartly, Smith and Callaghan raised their wands at her. She was certainly outnumbered, just as much as Potter was. Maybe she'd end up like him.

"Expelliarmus!" Heartly cried, only giving Cara enough time to shout it back, the red glow spurt from their wands, pushing against one another harshly, battling for dominance. Heartly screeched as she was pushed back by the force of the spell, wand flying from her hand and at Cara's feet. "Sparks, for fuck sake!" She yelled, as Cara plucked it from the ground.

"Untie the kid, Heartly." She demanded "You'd think with your surname that you wouldn't be so heartless."

"How can you be on his side?" Smith asked her "He's a liar!"

"And an attention seeking brat." Callaghan added with a small nod of his big head.

She stared at them incredulously. "How can you think that he'd want more on his plate than he already has?" She frowned.

"Oh, I get it." Heartly sneered, approaching slowly like a predator to their prey. She eyed her wand in Cara's hand. "Trying to impress the lions, are you? How pathetic."

"What the hell are you on about?" Cara commanded.

"Such a little try hard." Heartly looked honestly amused, lips pulled into a grin and eyes glistening with mirth. She would look almost pretty had it not had an edge of malice to the expression. "First those Weasley twins, Johnson, Jordan. Now, Potter, huh? You're really making your way through the lot of them."

"They're my friends." She said. "Not Potter, but, he doesn't deserve this shit, Heartly, for Merlin's sake! You're hurting a kid, does that make you feel proud of yourself?"

"He always wants the spotlight." Heartly barked "He's got it, now, don't you Potty?" The boy tried to shout, to no avail "Not nice, is it? Poor thing." Her mockery grated on Cara's nerves; the fact that somebody could be so blatantly cruel baffled her.

"I never realised how much of a proper bitch you were." Cara admitted, toying with Heartly's wand and smirked when the girl's eyebrow twitched "Maybe I'll just snap it." The girl's eyes widened "Right in half-"

The fist came out of nowhere. Seriously, how did Cara miss a fist coming straight for her? She'd gotten arrogant during her false threats. It slammed right into her nose with a sickening crack, leaving blood droplets on Heartly's fist and blood pouring from her now crooked nose. Definitely broken.

"Holy-" Cara yelled, grasping her nose with her hands and willing away the immediate rush of tears at the sudden pain "Ah-You always played dirty." She wiped the blood from her face with a sleeve "But, doesn't give you your wand back, does it?"

"You don't wanna do this, Sparky. You know I'll win." Heartly said "You've always been a coward."

 _Yellow means remembrance. And cowardice._

"Maybe so." Her voice was muggy, she felt blood crawl up her throat. Disgusting. She raised her wand "Incarcerous!" Heartly's eyes widened as rope suddenly wrapped around her body, binding her up tightly from neck to ankle, just like Potter. A parody, if you wish.

Smith and Callaghan raised their own wands, about to open their mouths to roar out a spell when Cara accio'd their wands from their hands, shoved them deep into her pocket and tied them up alongside Heartly. By the time they were writhing around on the floor, she finally allowed the events to catch up on her.

Merlin, how much trouble would she get in for this? Would she be expelled? How many detentions would she have to served? Would she ever breathe normally again? Okay, that wasn't as serious, but still. Her nose throbbed with pain, blood dripped down her chin and onto the floor.

"Let's get you up." She spoke, unravelling Potter's binding with a swish of her wand and took the silencing spell off him the same way. He gasped for breath, as if the spell had made it difficult to breathe. Or maybe, the bindings were really that tight that his lungs were compressed.

"Th-Thanks. Are you…okay?" He panted, eyeing her then glancing at the three bullies lined by the wall when she held a thumbs up. "Are you…gonna leave them like that?"

"Probably not." She confessed "Though, when I let them go, we'll have to sprint."

His eyes glistened "Go on then."

She waved her wand, firm and direct until the ropes fell to the floor, vanishing and threw their wands at them. No way would she keep them, it would feel like she was violating the wands themselves.

"Now?" Potter said, stepping back, away from them.

"Now, you twat!" She exclaimed, and headed off in a sprint down the corridor. She could hear the loud thudding of footsteps following them, but focused on not tripping over her two left feet. Potter was close at her side, doing the thing you should never do; always checking behind him and nearly slamming into the ground too many times for comfort.

"Eyes! **Forward**!" She yelled, elbowing him in the side as they turned a sharp corner, narrowly avoiding a group of first years. She laughed slightly manically when they shrieked and pointed at her face.

"Where are we going?" Potter called, sprinting up the stairs at breakneck speed.

"I dunno! I'm just running!" She barked back. The footsteps were coming louder and louder.

"How about the Hospital Wing? You and I both sodding need it!" Potter suggested, a bit sarcastically, which made Cara stick her middle finger up at him but follow him around the corner and up the long stretch of the corridor, to the large, double doors and barrelled through them.

Madam Pomfrey jolted in shock when they slammed the doors shut and leant against them, panting as if they'd just run a marathon. "Merlin's beard, what on earth happened?" She exclaimed, eyes wide and ushered them to two separate beds, settling them quickly and fussing over Potter's split lip and black eye, then Cara's broken nose.

She took the time here to inspect the famous Chosen One. He'd always been a pretty short kid, lanky and a bit too thin with sickly pale skin, jutting out cheekbones and a nest of black hair on his head, those circular glasses on the bridge of his nose and haunting green eyes that made Snape's hair stand on end. He was so distinctive, but he didn't look like a saviour, despite how extremely powerful he'd proven himself to be. Right then, he was fiddling with his nails and biting his lip, wincing when he forgot it was bust – idiot.

"S'almost nice having her fuss." Potter commented idly, tugging on the sleeve of his jumper and resting his chin on his knees. The minute Pomfrey had left to get the potions for the both of them, he'd pulled his legs to his chest, almost as if trying to make himself as small as possible.

"You think?" She replied, scrubbing at the blood on her face "Feels more like she's possessive of us. Good healer though, amazing, even."

"I guess." Potter was quiet for a moment and then lifted his head "Sparks, I-Thanks, I mean." He coughed awkwardly into his fist "I didn't expect anybody to come for me."

"I didn't mean to, to be honest." She admitted "I'd just gotten a mouthful from Snape, was just leaving his classroom and there you were. Being harassed."

He shrugged "Still. Nice surprise to have someone back me up." His face suddenly twisted into an expression that she didn't particularly like. He was a kid for fuck sake, kids shouldn't look so… _unsettled_.

"Your face'll set if you keep doing that." She said, grinning toothily when his head whipped to her, eyes wide. "Chill out, Potty, I'm only kidding." Cara's smile faded at the troubled expression on his face, and her eyebrows drew together "Oi, don't make that face. What is it?"

"I just- I sort of…got used to it. People being on my side." He confessed, purposefully averting his gaze from hers, though she watched avidly "Me being the Chosen One and all. People just had to believe in me."

"They still do, kid." She replied, slumping back onto the pillows "Everybody's still putting their weight on you. Everyone's just pissed that you stole the limelight from Diggory."

"I didn't put my name in though." He snarled, fisting the sheets angrily "Ron thinks I did, now every word he says to me is horrible."

"Make it so that every time he belittles you, his dick gets _that_ much smaller." She offered, and smirked when Potter spluttered for words "I think it'd get the message across good. How he's practically sabotaging his manhood for being a twat to his best mate." She turned to the pink faced boy and grinned "Right?"

"R-Right." He wheezed, lips spread into an amused grin. "Dunno a spell that'd do that though."

"Pretty sure there has to be one." She smirked. "Somewhere out there." Potter laughed, and it echoed through the hall. Much better, she thought, sucked having to sit around with a grouchy Golden Boy.

They didn't speak for a bit after that. They let Madam fuss and flit around them, making them gulp down potion after potion, healing Potter's eye and lip then sorting out Cara's nose. "How on earth did you two end up like this?" She demanded.

"Well." Cara started "I ran into Potter who was being harassed by three Hufflepuffs, believe it or not! That's apparently the sweet, marshmallow-soft house, so I could hardly believe my eyes-"

"Get to the point, Miss Sparks." Pomfrey frowned, eyeing Potter when he snorted.

"Honestly, I think the fact that he was being harassed kind of sums it up, really." She shrugged "But I interjected, I tried to help out and got a fist to the face. Really, sometimes I forget that us lot know how to fight muggle. Ridiculous, really."

"So, three Hufflepuff's attacked Potter, and then you when you tried to help him." Pomfrey summed up, and tapped her chin with her finger "I believe I must inform the Headmaster about this. This can't go on Potter, surely you must know that."

"Yeah, but a stern talking to won't stop anybody." Potter tried. "That might just fuel the fury."

Pomfrey sighed, massaging her temples "You're both alright to leave now, you both will need a potion for pain relief in about three hours and then tonight. Your injuries will be a bit sore so if you roll onto it as you sleep, you'd be in a considerable amount of pain."

"Roger that." Cara said, accepting the two vials and pocketing them, and eyes Potter when he looks at them in disdain. "Right. C'mon Potter, I'll walk you back to your den."

"Uh-Okay!" he called, quickly jogging after the girl when she started walking without waiting for him. They fell side by side, and she grinned down at him, blood still in-between her teeth. He found himself grinning back, in disbelief at the view in front of him.

It was almost a welcoming sight, he thought.

* * *

 **A/N: I _love_ italics. So much emphasis! Hope you enjoyed, thanks to everyone who's bothered to read this, please comment as they are my life source ;^) x **


	9. A Step Forward

**A/N: Finally, next chapter we get into the plot, and honestly I'm excited to add more of Connor into this! Thank you to** **4plywhenicry, CannonRebel, TheNarnianMugglebornAvenger, TsukiBop, Wolverine123, amber-wa, harudha558 for the favourites and follows! I really appreciate them!**

* * *

It became a habit of the Gryffindor Crew to practically _bodyguard_ their Eagle after she valiantly rescued Potter from Heartly and her goonies. They were especially salty about hearing it from Potter instead of her - she had to beg for their forgiveness, which was awkwardly hilarious as it was in front of the entire school – and Beauxbaton and Durmstrang, mind you - in the Great Hall.

Fred was the one with her as George had detention with Lee for setting his tarantula free in the common room therefore making a bunch of people cry and scream. Angelina had prefect duties which she was always extremely dutiful about so they had decided to sit by the Black Lake and compete to see who could skim pebbles furthest across the water.

"So," Fred said, breaking the serene silence that was around them, his voice overpowered the sound of the pebble sploshing into the water. "You and Thompson."

"What about us?" She asked, skimming a pebble across the shimmering surface of the black water, just going that bit further than Fred's to make him groan. "I win again. That's two cupcakes you owe me."

"Fine, we'll go to the kitchens in a bit." He laughed "Does Missy deserve four _pairs_ of socks or just four separate socks?"

"Uh, four separate so – just say two pairs. You only own _four_ pairs."

"That's completely and utterly false." He stated "Anyway! Back to the subject at hand, you and Thompson. We heard from Cho who told Padma who told Parvati who told Dean who told Seamus who told Harry who told us that you two broke up."

"Things travel fast." She replied with a light-hearted chuckle "Yeah, we thought we might as well."

He looked out to the lake, eyes glistening in the midday sunlight "…Was it because of us? You both were fine before we went to the Three Broomsticks together."

Cara thought back to how Daniel took to digging through her head, and then through Fred's and wondered if it was true that Fred thought about her a lot. Everything inside her wanted to scream that it was bullshit and that Daniel just wanted an excuse to break up with her.

But what _if_?

"I dunno if we were _fine_." She tilted her head to the side, and tugged her scarf tighter around her neck as the breeze became chillier "He's always fancied Cho and that kinda spoiled things for the both of us, I'd say."

"How many guys fancy that girl, Merlin's beard." Fred exclaimed, then wrapped his hands in the ends of her scarf, shivering. He glanced at her and she swallowed thickly, wondering if his usually solid brown eyes always had those golden flecks in them. "It's a bit weird that you got with him when he fancied someone else."

She tinkered out a laugh, scratching her neck awkwardly "Yeah, well, I thought maybe he'd stop liking her and start liking me." She replied "But, that doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

He eyed her with a tilt of his head "I guess not." He said "But, if we were one of the reasons, then…We didn't mean to, y'know? I'm sorry 'bout it." He tugged on his collar with a cough.

She blinked at him, and her unblinking gaze made his cheeks flush red. "He's a legilimens, you know." She commented idly, picking at her cuticles. "I didn't know until he-"

"He's a WHAT?" Fred exclaimed, leaping to his feet with wide eyes "I mean-shit, does he look through people's heads _a lot_?"

Cara didn't know what to make of his reaction, she supposed the idea of someone digging through people's heads was shocking enough so it might not even mean anything. "I dunno, he dug through mine, said something about yours too-"

"That cockhead! I'll get him back, don't you worry, Cara-" She stood and whacked his arm with a frown until he looked down at her, pouting "Ow! What the hell?"

"You won't mention it." She said "He probably doesn't want people to know, and I don't really want to get into more shit with him. We're on rocky ground already."

"But Cara! He looked inside our heads! That's surely against our human rights!" He exclaimed, and then swallowed hard enough for her to see his throat contract. "Did he…mention what he heard? Inside my head?"

"Not really." She shrugged. _Me,_ she thought, _he said you thought about me. Do you?_ The idea that Fred Weasley took time in his day to think about her made butterflies flutter in her stomach but she quickly shoved them away to pat the boy on the shoulder. "Why're you so panicky, huh, Weasley? Got some dirty thoughts up there?" She winked.

"The dirtiest." He responded "One small prank, and I won't mention why we did it. He'll think we're just being arseholes, as usual."

"Com'on, he doesn't need that." She tried "Leave him be."

"An itty bitty one."

"Fred."

"And I thought you had a sense of humour. And sense of _justice_."

"Your moral compass is flawed."

"I think Thompson's moral compass is proper shattered if he's digging through people's private thoughts!"

She glowered "Fine! But, don't make eye contact because he'll find out what you're planning."

Fred beamed, and swung an arm around her shoulders, leading her back inside the school "I knew you'd come around, Sparky! All it takes is a bit of TLC."

"That was more persuasion than tender loving care." She commented, feeling a bit sticky with warmth pressed against Fred's overheated body. It was like he had a constant fever or something.

"TLP then." He shrugged against her "Tender loving persuasion."

"That's fair." She laughed "Go get the socks, I think we'd better get some cupcakes, don't you?"

Fred groaned dramatically, and marched forwards so she had to run to catch up. They must have looked like prats running into the Gryffindor common room, up the stairs to the boy's dormitory and digging through Fred's suitcase only to sprint out again. She wasn't sure when it became a race to who got where first, but it did. The amount of times they ran into walls, fell on their faces and collided with other students was too many to count.

Missy was absolutely delighted to be handed the patterned socks, and although they were a bit too big, she cried giant dollops of tears that ran down her cheeks and onto the floor when she practically bowed to them.

"Don't cry Missy, you're too cute for that." Fred winked down at her and nudged Cara with a raised brow when the elf squealed out a shriek and shoved her head into her jumper that was ten times too big. She calmed down after a bit, with Cara patting her back

"Could I have two chocolate cupcakes please, Missy?" Cara asked politely, smiling and pressing her hand warmly on the head to try and soothe the house elf.

"Of course, missus Sparks can have two cupcakes, two cupcakes coming right up!" She rambled, and soon, handed Cara two chocolate cupcakes with a gentle curtsy and blushing giggle. "Are they to your liking, missus?"

Cara took a giant bite of the cupcake and stuck her thumb up "Delicious, as always."

Missy looked over the moon and turned to Fred "Does Mister Weasley want anything from Missy?"

"I'm all about the giving." He replied "Hope you like the socks."

"Missy does! Missy really, really does! Missy can never thank Mister Weasley enough!" She squealed. They left after bidding goodbye to Missy then slowly waltzed back to the common room before dinner.

"Here." She handed Fred her second muffin, looking at him in disgust when he shoved the whole thing into his giant mouth. "For fuck sake, man, you've no manners."

"Pfft." He said, spitting crumbs everywhere "I've seen you eat when you're hungry, shove it all in, don't you?" He prodded her squishier stomach, making her squirm and whack his hand away with flushed cheeks.

"I'm _cuddly_." She stuck her nose in the air.

"Are you now?" He said, and before she knew it, he lunged at her and wrapped her in his sturdy arms, holding on tightly. She puffed her cheeks out when her neck heated red, and pressed her hands to his forearms. A part of her said that she was trying to push him away because this could look bad seeing that Fred was dating her close friend. Though, unfortunately, Cara felt as if she was trying to merely _convince_ herself that.

"Cuddly enough for you?" She asked, voice muffled by his jumper-ed arms. "Enough to jump me in the corridor, ey?"

"You weren't wrong." He shrugged, letting her go but keeping an arm around her shoulders. A flock of students turned the corner which she immediately recognised as Diggory's crew, laughing and bantering as per usual, surrounding the champion himself. Or, she supposed, the first Hogwarts champion. "Ugh, look who's coming." Fred whispered close to her ear.

"Hey Sparks." Diggory nodded at them as he passed, smiling brightly at her wave "Weasley." Fred nodded back, lips pursed when Diggory stopped. "Say, I heard about Heartly and her friends, must say, it's pretty amazing that you came to Potter's rescue."

"What is he, a damsel in distress?" One of his friends guffawed.

"Yeah right!" Another replied.

"Not a damsel, but he was definitely in distress." She told them "Just human nature to act on instinct, I'd say. After seeing that, it's only fair."

"Right." He nodded with a smile ""Anyway, just wanted to apologise for them, I guess, since I know they won't themselves." He shrugged a bit with a half-grin, half-grimace on his face "Anyway, see you around!"

"See ya. Good luck tomorrow." She waved as they sauntered away.

"Cheers!" He waved.

"Ugh, small talk." Fred groaned quietly and then turned to her so suddenly that she jolted in her step, eyes wide. He looked a bit like a Labrador that perked up the minute it saw its owner.

"What?" She asked, bewildered.

"Have you heard? It's a rumour going around but no-one's sure yet, but the first challenge is apparently facing a dragon! How cool will that be? Me and George-"

"George and _I_." Cara corrected, smirking at Fred's glare.

"Okay, _Angelina_." He sneered, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, George _and I_ sent a letter to our brother who works in Romania with dragons because he said he was doing something interesting this year. We connected the dots! He must be coming here, right?"

"Must be." She nodded "It'll be cool to see a dragon in real life-" Cara's heart suddenly skipped a beat in her chest as she was hit with a realisation. An idea formed in her head so quickly that she couldn't keep up.

"Cara? You look like you're gonna shit yourself, what's wrong?" Fred asked her with furrowed brows "Y'know, Angie's anaemic so she gets light-headed, don't tell me you have that too-"

"No, no." She rushed out "I have to go, I, uh, I'll see you later, yeah?" She said, then turned on her heel and started to jog down the corridor, set on a destination.

"Wait? Where are you going? Can I come?" He exclaimed, jogging up to her but she shook her head so her hair flowed down her back.

"No, it's kinda important!" She told him hurriedly "I'll see you later, we can test out that new whatever you and George made. See if it really does turn people's skin pink."

"You better tell me what you're doing!" He called, but she was already around the corner and running all the way to Dumbledore's office. She paused outside the statue, and tapped her foot on the ground impatiently as she tried to remember the password. She said loads of the previous ones, but none of them worked and slowly her idea became stupider and less realistic with every passing moment.

"Oh, fucking-" She exclaimed, pressing her head into her hands and tugging wildly with annoyance.

"Miss Sparks?"

Her head shot up, and she met the twinkling blues of the headmaster, slowly approaching with a soft smile on his face. "Sir!" She exclaimed, flattening her hair down to look more presentable. "Is it true? Is the first challenge really-"

"Do come in. We can chat inside." He said, and lowly said the password allowing the spiral staircase to rotate down so they could walk up them into his office. Cara always felt slightly intimidated in the presence of the headmaster, his person just emanated power and authority which disturbed her to no end. He was the good guy, a crack of light in the darkness, but sometimes he freaked her out just by being there.

She sat opposite him across his desk, back straight and legs crossed as she sat in the chair, tugging on the hem of her skirt. She inhaled shakily, feeling on the spot, knowing her request was far-fetched but she was going to ask anyway. "I heard the first challenge was something to do with dragons." He raised a brow, so she quickly continued before he could speak "My brother's never seen one, probably believes he never will. I-I wanna change that."

Dumbledore leant forwards in his seat, elbows on the table "Do you want a lemon sherbet?" He offered her a small bowl of the yellow wrapped sweeties and looked at her curiously.

Cara gaped at the man. Was he _ignoring_ her request? Was he really going to just pretend she hadn't asked?

"I-No, thank you." She stammered, then before she lost her spirit said "Sir, _please_. I request that my brother come here for the three challenges so he can see what our world is like! He's always felt so alienated towards us, no wonder why, but I know he wants to be a part of it. Somehow."

"I understand your request, Miss Sparks." Dumbledore said "The Ministry are not very welcoming, I can admit, but I believe they will condone your brother joining us during the Triwizard Tournament. If I believe not, though, we can keep mum, yes?"

Cara's eyes widened. "So…He can come?"

"If he wants to, indeed." Dumbledore smiled. "It's tomorrow, you will have to get in touch. I was thinking we visit Number 06 in, say, two minutes to request your brother's presence in person? He may appreciate that more." His eyes shone, and Cara was almost certain that her eyes were the same.

"Sir, I can't thank you enough." She said, voice cracking as she bowed her head. Cara had never felt an emotion like this, and tried to well the lump in her throat to chill out.

He beamed, and held out his hand to her. She took it sheepishly, and took a deep breath in as Dumbledore apparated from the school. She reeled at the feeling of weightlessness and terror at the feeling of falling. It was only for a moment, a split second until she opened her eyes that she'd squeezed closed, to smell the familiar scent of her living room – the jasmine scent of her mother's perfume, the coffee Connor likes to drink mugs and mugs of, and the whiskey da has with dinner. She was met with the patterned wallpaper, the telly playing a random TV show she didn't know and ma, sitting on the sofa, with her hair dishevelled, jaw dropped, eyes wide and remote fallen from her hand and to the ground.

"Ma." She half-smiled.

"Have you been expelled?" Ma asked, horrified.

"Not at all, Mrs Sparks, your daughter is doing very well in her studies and will continue to thrive onwards. We are here due to another reason, a request." Dumbledore replied with a smile. "Is Connor Sparks in?"

"Oh-I-Yes?" Ma stammered, climbing to feet and rushing to the end of the stairs "Connor! Come down for a second, please!" There was a thump, and a creaking as Connor slowly descended down the stairs. His face was pale, almost sickly pale as he peaked down at the two of them and toyed with his lip between his teeth.

"Cara." Connor said breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

"To see you." She replied, shoulders rising and falling hard as she inhaled sharper breathes with oncoming panic of rejection. What if he didn't want to be included? What if he wanted to forget he ever knew of it? "D'you want to see a dragon?"

"Cara, what on earth are you thinking-" Ma gasped.

She pleaded. "Please, mum. Let him speak, first."

He looked a lot like Ma in that moment, shocked, baffled, but there was something akin to terror in his expression that unnerved her. In his hand was the extendable ears, gripped in a white-knuckled fist; she assumed he must have been listening and that's why he looked so spooked when he came downstairs.

"If you do not wish to, then you do not have to, Mr Sparks. It is entirely your decision." Dumbledore informed him kindly. "Your sister believed that you would be interested to see a dragon in real life and wanted to invite you along with her."

"Cara." Connor's voice shook. "You better promise me." He seemed to be struggling to get his words out and croaked out "You won't forget I'm part of it afterwards."

"You always were." She replied shakily "I'm sorry I didn't realise that."

He laughed, eyes watering and lips trembling. "I didn't realise either." He brought his hand up to his face and scrubbed at his eyes until they were sore and red. Ma sobbed from where she stood by the sofa but she took no notice of her, too transfixed on Connor making an expression that wasn't anguish disguised as bitterness or anger.

Cara would have liked this to end with them hugging it out and starting to form a strong siblinghood like Fred and George's but she left without a hug, or even a fist bump, yet it felt like a huge leap for her and Connor. It felt like he looked at her properly for the first time in years. Dumbledore told him that they would come to collect him tomorrow morning, 8AM sharp, to bring a camera if he so wished and then they left with a pop.

"Sir." She said, and bowed her head to him "Thank you so much."

"I do hope you and your brother's relationship can reform, Miss Sparks, you both deserve it." He replied, voice warm. "Though, do tell Mr Sparks that he cannot show any of his friends the photographs he may take. Our existence is still majorly secretive." She nodded reverently and scrubbed at her eyes. "Miss Sparks." Dumbledore said softly. "I am incredibly inspired by your determination to include your brother. I know he has been rather unsavoury to you."

"It's not his fault." She wiped her nose on her sleeve.

"It never has been yours, either." He replied gently. Her throat constricted and her heart thumped in her chest, lips spreading into a relieved smile that made her heart soar. The day had been a blur after that, she could hardly remember it and honestly didn't care that much either. She was on Cloud 9.

That night, Cara slept far more peacefully than she had in years; without fits of nightmares and a knot in her stomach and felt for the first time in years that Cara Sparks wasn't the reason that Connor Sparks was a squib.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! Comments are always welcome ;^D**


	10. Hungarian Horntail Extravaganza

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm so sorry for not updating in god knows how long, but here's a chapter! I've had half of it written for months, but I've only just got around to finishing it. It's been a piss take to type since my keyboard broke but perseverance am I right? Anyway, this is my first chapter in Connor perspective so I hope it's not shite! Thanks for reading, big thanks to Midori Yuki for commenting! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far! pls comment as they really butter my egg roll x**

 **oOo**

The alarm beside his bed buzzed when it turned 9:20AM but Connor Sparks had already been awake for two hours and seven minutes. He didn't know if he was buzzing with excitement or terror, and a part of him didn't want to know. Ignorance is bliss and all that; maybe he'd be better off not traipsing off with Cara and that famous headmaster into a world he'd never be able to leave behind.

"Con." Da said. Connor turned to him. Da had always been this tall, large figure of power to Connor with energy thriving in his palms and warmth swimming in his hazel eyes. He noticed that Da's beard had been trimmed and he had more greys in his hair, now tied into a loose bun. "Com'on lad, nearly time to skedaddle."

"Ma doesn't want me to go." Connor replied, standing up with his backpack on both shoulders "Why doesn't she want me to?"

Da sighed and walked further in, robes swaying by the blue carpet. He had never seen his healer's robes before, he had assumed it would be like the usual NHS uniform but these were old fashioned robes that swung as he walked with his confident gait. They made his da look like a mage. "Your ma wanted to protect you." He admitted, it looked painful to do so. His eyebrows scrunched and his lips pursed.

"I don't get how caging me from your world is _protecting_ me." Connor sneered, crossing his arms over his chest. "You lot walk on eggshells around me like I'll blow any fucking second."

Da sat down heavily on Connor's unmade bed "Not saying this to hurt your feelings Con, but you _do_ blow any second. You're like a ticking time bomb, and that was probably _our_ fault."

Connor back-tracked "What?"

"When we found out, we didn't know what to do, to be honest. We already knew Cara had magic so we just assumed you would too, maybe you were a late bloomer or something."

"But I wasn't."

"Yeah." Da looked weighed down by something, scrubbing at his cheeks with his rough hands that he knew were talented at delicate handling "We were devastated for you, Con, and when we kept you from everything, we thought it was so you wouldn't feel like we were mocking you to your face."

Connor kept quiet, pressing his bare foot on the extendable ears on the floor. "Having to keep mum about it all." He finally said "Was it hard?"

"This isn't about me, Con." Da said "We made a mistake hiding the world from you. We messed up big time, but Cara always saw it. That you should've been a part of it since we found out. That shouldn't have been a gamechanger."

For a split second, an image of his big sister popped into his head; shoulder's low and eyes heavy with a fat cat resting on her shoulders. "I'm scared." He found himself saying, feeling his cheeks flush at his sudden confession.

"Of what?" Asked da, voice soft as butter.

"I finally get to experience your world, but, what if I do get _jealous_? What then? Does that mean I can't be a part of it 'cos I can't deal with it?" A heavy hand fell onto his shoulder, and it felt like it grounded him. "What if they kick me out?" He said, but it was more of a whisper. "What if they find out what I am and never let me come back?"

Da's quiet for a moment before saying "The caretaker at Hogwarts, he's a squib. He gets to see it all and be a part of it, nobody hates the man for what he is, they just don't like him 'cause he's a bit grouchy."

"I read that squibs are looked upon with disdain." He added, dryly. "Cara's school books are shit, I bet they don't even use biros there."

Da laughed boomingly "That is a major downside, I'll give you that. It's like going back to the 1800's." Da stood and grinned down at Connor with the same heaviness in his frame as before "I'm sorry we kept it from you Con, but see how this is. If you hate it, then don't look back but if you do, then, awesome. I can show you so much stuff."

He quickly put a pair of socks on and shoved his feet into his trainers before he followed da down the steps with his backpack on, and for the last five minutes of the wait, sipped overly sweet tea with ma in the living room whilst perched on the footstool.

Ma looked troubled, and sickly. She had been like that since yesterday, and it made Connor feel familiar yet uncomfortable. She gripped his hand tightly, as it afraid to let go.

"Are you sure?" Ma asked, breaking the silence in the air.

"Yeah."

"Because you don't have to go." She added "If it makes you uncomfortable, or scares you, or if you think Cara's mocking you-"

"Lex!" Da yelled, sitting up straighter in his seat by the fire. His face was lined with age, eye's aflame with a fury Connor had never seen before. "Stop giving her a hard time for Merlin's sake!"

"For _God's_ sake!" Ma shot back.

"She's trying, she's always been and you never lighten up, do you?" Da practically snarled "Getting angry when Cara tries to include him in the world he always should've been a part of, _bruising her wrist_ -"

"That was an accident!" Ma's voice sounded pleading, strained. Her hair fell from the bun it was tied in and stuck to her sweating pink face

"That doesn't make it okay!" Da exclaimed. Suddenly, silence descended over the room, quiet enough to hear a penny drop. Connor wanted to say something, but he couldn't bring himself to.

Cara. Low shoulders. Heavy eyes.

He wanted to say something.

Cara. Fat cat on her shoulders. Low shoulders.

He wanted to _say_ something-

There was a cough, and all three heads spun to the source. Cara stood beside the bearded professor, it was odd see the mighty figure in their rinky-dink living room. Cara's hair was windswept, and her uniform looked a bit messy. "Ready to go?" She asked. He couldn't make out the expression on her face.

"Yeah." He nodded, eyes owlishly wide.

"You are in for a treat, Mr Sparks." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, so blue and so bright that Connor felt like the man was looking straight into his soul and giving it a kind pat on the head.

"I'm sure he is, sir." Da grinned, standing up and reaching out to shake the man's hand before pulling Cara into a giant bear hug. She laughed, and squeezed him back as tightly as him. "Kor, it's been too long!"

"Get off me, old man!" She guffawed, but didn't let go. "God, distance makes you cuddly, it's revolting."

"Y'know what? I renounce my offer that you can share the garage." He huffed, letting her down and smiling so widely his cheeks looked sore.

"Oh well, that place is a shithole anyway." She replied.

"Lies and slander, Cara." He crossed his arms "Lies and slander." He patted her shoulder twice before turning back to the headmaster "Sorry to keep you, sir." He quickly said, a bit bashfully.

"What's this sir, nonsense?" Dumbledore laughed good heartedly "We've met already, Tyr, no need to be so formal." His eyes gleamed and Da grinned good-naturedly. "Anyways, as lovely as it is to see you and Mrs Sparks, we really must be off. Young Mr Sparks and Miss Sparks have a tournament to be getting to! I'm sure Miss Sparks will have a lot to show him afterwards as well."

"Course." Cara said, hands on her hips "He's missed out on a lot." Connor's heart beat hard in his chest when she glanced in his direction. Watching her now, it felt like she was like the means to an end of his constant anger that thrived through his veins.

"You can't miss anything out." He replied.

"Not a thing." She vowed, lips tweaking when Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder, then reached out her pinky towards him "And I won't forget our promise, either. Never forget."

His eyes widened. "Never." He echoed, hooking his pinky in hers. There was a choked noise from behind him, but he ignored it because it was definitely ma.

"This is going to be a rough start, but I'm sure it will get better." Dumbledore stated, and then suddenly the world became a blur and it felt like he was being forced through a very tight, rubber tube. His stomach jolted and contracted and when he finally felt his knees collide with solid ground, his stomach tightened and he threw up on the marble. He gagged and spat out vomit-slash-spit then wiped his mouth on his jumper sleeve. He sagged, barely noticing that his puke was gone.

"That is normal, Mr Sparks, up you get, now." Dumbledore said as Cara helped heave him to his feet. He wobbled slightly, but managed to keep his balance. Once he gained back enough awareness, he realised he was standing in a large, old-fashioned, circular office, the walls were shelves shoved full of books, the stairs spiralled up to a platform holding god-knows-what. All Connor knew was that it was brilliant.

"Is this _your_ office?" He asked, awestruck.

"Indeed." He smiled knowingly "Now, Miss Sparks, the task begins at 10 o'clock sharp, make sure you arrive early to get a good seat." He smiled and off they went, walking down a stone, spiral staircase and into a corridor lined with painting's, all having a chat with one another.

"Are they sentient?" Connor asked, voice filled with something akin to awe, pressing his fingertips to the canvas. The woman in the hideous pink dress with a thick veil trailing behind her gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth as she swatted at her hand.

"Off me, scoundrel!" The woman screeched.

Connor snatched his hand away from the canvas like it burned, holding it to his chest as he watched the woman huff and sneer like he was dirt on the bottom of her perfectly pointed heel. Could she somehow _feel_ that he was different? He felt a hand pat his shoulder, and once again felt grounded.

"Don't take it personally." Cara said to him "The Duchesse doesn't like anybody except Malfoy. He's the only one prim and proper enough to deal with her."

"Where is my boy? It's been ever so long since he has come to visit me. You would think he would never want to leave my company!" The Duchesse exclaimed as Cara began to drag Connor away from the painting.

"Where are we going?" Connor asked, dazedly. Eyes drawn to everything around him. The castle was extraordinary, bustling with students in robes or a uniform, all chatting excitedly about the task to come. The paintings covering the walls all spoke to one another, laughing or groaning or grimacing or yelling. Connor was enthralled. This reminded him of his school, but with the extra bonuses of speaking paintings and a tormenting ghost. He wasn't sure if he was jealous or not, as this wouldn't help him be productive, if anything it would only distract him.

"We should head to the stands now to be honest, it's nearly 10." She told him, and led him through the castle grounds, outside into the chilly outdoors and to wooden stands circling a large area of ground where the task would be taking place. He huddled in his coat and scarf, ignoring the theory that he wasn't actually shaking because of the cold, but the all-seeing eyes of the students in the stands.

They all cheered, screeched, chanted, laughed, and he knew logically that they weren't focusing on him at all but actually on the arena yet he still felt as if their eyes were boring a hole into his soul.

A shoulder nudged his and he jerked his head up. There was a smile on Cara's face that he was familiar with. Tough around the edges, a tenseness in her eyes, forced. His eyes locked on her slumped shoulders.

He had so much he wanted to tell her. He wanted to thank her for holding her hand out when no one else did. He wanted to tell her this meant the world to him, being included in the world he was born into, raised in. Connor wanted to reach out a hold up her shoulders, he wanted to tell her that everything he ever said he meant it in that moment but now? Now.

But his lips were stiff, tongue weighty in his mouth, his throat felt dry and his mind was scrambled, no words came to his head when standing in the crowded, deafening stands. All he felt was weightless and heavy at the same time.

"What's with that face?" She laughed, smile crooked although it seemed off. Had he ever seen a genuine smile on his sister's face since they fell out? Had he ever smiled at her genuinely since?

How could he enjoy this time in a world he was rejected from without ever having lived in it? Experienced it? HOW could he ENJOY his time with his sister after all the shit he shoved on her when it wasn't her fault?

"Con? Com'on, you're alright." He felt nimble fingers ruffle his hair, and jerked up. She smiled down at him, more a twitch of the corners of her lips but he felt a burdening weight lift from his chest at the comforting, painfully familiar smile.

He could spout some shit about how she reminded him of their gentle giant of a father, or their over-protective mother. But no. In that moment, she only reminded him of Cara.

"Your attention please!" Dumbledore exclaimed from the podium, wand to his throat. He whipped his head to watch the powerful figure speak. He had met this man, he reminded himself that Dumbledore was an incredibly famous, powerful and brave wizard, who faced enemies head on. And I met the guy, Connor thought in disbelief.

"This is a great day for all of us." He continued, his sentence faded amongst the ferocious roar of a scaled beast. Connor's jaw dropped and he leapt to his feet at the sight of the four dragons lead onto the arena, each terrifying in its own right with snapping jaws of sharp, blood-thirsty teeth and claws; some thicker and blunter, some thinner and razor sharp. He wasn't sure which was worse, to be honest.

"Each of the three tasks involves very considerable danger. Please keep at your seats at all times." There was an underlying warning in the headmaster's tone that made him immediately plonk back into his seat almost violently. His neck flushed red when Cara snorted and elbowed him.

"Mind out, brat." She said with a smile, showing off the gap in her teeth. Always a distinguishable feature she had had.

"This will minimise any risks you might be exposed to. I'm sure we all wish our champions the greatest of luck." Cheers screeched from the crowds around him, Cara also cupped her mouth to shout her hope for success, though she seemed to root for Potter the most.

Potter. He'd read about him in a newspaper dad left under his pillow in his room once, that after his years of pure silence about the wizarding world. Nobody said a peep about it, nobody dared look Connor in the eye back then but when it was over, dad and Cara became more lenient. The paper spoke of the Chosen One, and after he'd read it, he'd thought 'poor sod' and left it on the bed to go and play video games.

"Dunno how I feel about authority putting teenagers in danger for glory and fame," Cara began, voice loud over the cacophony of excited voices "But it sure stirs the crowd, huh?"

"Couldn't tell!" He called back "We could place bets, y'know. Win some dollah." Cara laughed, head tilting back and he felt himself grin with pride at the success "See, there are two identicals asking for bets."

She lifted her head and turned to where he was pointing, and rolled her eyes "They're my mates, Fred and George. Don't call them the 'Identicals,' they'll love it and won't stop calling themselves that."

"I'm a good influencer." Is all he said.

"I know." She replied.

When the task commenced, Connor watched with bulging eyes and a clenched jaw to stop it from dropping open. A boy with hard eyes in a yellow and black outfit exited the tent first. At the sight of him, the dragon let out a rumbling grumble from within its chest, circling the arena.

"Come on, Diggory." Cara muttered, hands clutching at her denim-clad knees.

He lurched to the side where the golden egg lay amongst the white, regular eggs. He had forgotten to ask what the task was to actually do, but he assumed that it was to get the golden egg past the dragon who would assume it was just one of the regular eggs and try to stop him from stealing it. The dragon screeched, lunging forwards as Diggory rolled on the bumpy floor, he yanked a wand from his pocket and shot it at a nearby rock, transforming it into a rottweiler, which distracted the dragon into chasing the barking dog.

"Clever boy!" Cara cried, voice intermingling with the crowd that cheered and whistled. Diggory clambered towards the eggs with his face set with determination. It looked like he would succeed with flying colours, up until the dragon twisted its neck back to him and let out a sickening shriek, storming across the arena to stop him.

The crowd of students were on the edge of their seats as Diggory catapulted forwards to curl around the golden egg. In mere seconds, the dragon opened its jaws wide and let out a mouthful of boiling red. There were cries of disbelief humming amongst everyone around Connor, leaning over to see if Diggory survived his mouthful of fire.

And there he stood, clutching the golden egg, standing tall albeit a bit wobbly, with a burnt face but success and achievement in his eyes. The crowd exploded with applause, Cara joined in with those standing to cheer the boy on, so Connor quickly stood up to join her in clapping.

"Is he a friend of yours?" He asked her, once Diggory was back inside the tent to get healed.

"Acquaintance." She answered "He was great though, I'll congratulate him soon, bastard deserves it after that successful mess."

"Too right." He replied. The next contestant was a girl, Cara whispered to him that she went to a French school and was called Fleur Delacour. She put the dragon to sleep with an enchantment that made all the girls in blue clap and smile and the rest of the student's 'ooh' and 'ahh'. The dragon snored and set he skirt alight, but it was put out easily and she succeeded without much issue.

"Anticlimactic." Cara stated.

The famous Quidditch player was next – the air football man; Krum. He used a spell that made the dragon screech and stumble around as if it couldn't see. Cara grimaced, telling him that he used the conjunctivitis curse that actually did blind the dragon.

"That's messed up." He muttered, eyebrows furrowed.

"I know, right? Poor dragon." She mumbled in reply.

Connor nearly laughed at the karma of it all when the dragon, who was still stumbling around, smashed half of the real eggs which meant Krum got deducted points. "Dragon got it's justice." He commented.

"I hope they can heal it, would suck to be blind forever because of a dumb tournament."

"Yeah."

Lastly, Harry Potter. When he walked out of the tent, the clapping, chanting crowd fell silent. If he looked out of the corner of his eye, he could see Cara frowning deeply, looking around the stands as if in shock that nobody was cheering for him. Connor turned away to look at Potter, who scanned the arena, then the stands with eyes that Connor could only describe as fearful.

Potter's eyes landed on them, and Cara stood up straighter, waving at him with a grin that made the contestant's eyes set and send her a hard nod. _What the fuck was that?_ For a second, he wondered if in the absence of her real brother, she set out to find herself a new one that actually liked her.

He discarded the thought. Cara looked far too serious to be dealing with her jealous little brother.

Potter began walking towards the eggs, making Connor wonder why the hell he was walking so slowly and not _running_. The dragon struck a claw down into the ground behind him, knocking him off his feet and making the crowd gasp simultaneously.

He heard Cara swear loudly and colourfully, shouting into the crowd with her hands around her mouth. Connor leant against the wooden rails, watching with eyes blazing with the red of the fire spilling from the dragon's mouth. Potter only narrowly dodged the shot, diving behind a boulder to hide from the beast.

It was just a constant symphony of the dragon nearly hitting the boy, and he just narrowly avoids it and continues despite having a beast of death trying to slaughter him.

"Your wand, Harry! Your wand!" A girl from the crowd shrieked, knocking sense into him enough to yank his wand from his pocket and point it at the dragon.

"Accio Firebolt!" He exclaimed, then ran behind a boulder.

Connor jumped halfway into the air when Cara shouted at the sight of the broom shooting through the air "Harry!" She yelled, pointing at it "Quickly!" The boulder he was hiding behind seemed to get smaller and smaller the longer the dragon's fiery breath bore on it, and the second it stopped he leapt up and onto the broom, flying ahead of the creature.

" _YES_!" Cara clapped, eyes bright with relieved glee. He couldn't help but feel it too, clapping and feeling his shoulders sag in happiness that he didn't have to see a kid get burnt to a crisp with a live audience.

The dragon attempted to chase potter, and tore the chain from its neck when it held it back. Connor gasped, watching it follow him and felt a sense of dread. He was dead, surely? No way Potter could survive this.

Potter flew into the stands, the dragon on his tail, tearing the little fabric tent apart and leaving behind startled teachers and screaming students "YES! YEAH! WELL DONE DRAGON!" Two voices cheered. Cara beamed, looking up to find the source of the voices, but looked away quickly.

"So we just wait for him to come back? If he comes back." Connor said, earning a stern glare from her that reminded him of most of their childhood enough that he sent a deadly glare back as well. She wilted.

"Yes. I suppose so." She said, sighing "Just a matter of waiting."

He went to his next question "Will the Diggory guy be scarred for life?"

"He can get that healed up in no time. Like nothing ever happened really." She told him "Imagine having a scar on your face, no thank you."

"Don't jinx it." He smirked.

Potter flew over the tree's moments, later, earning a painful amount of cheers and screaming from the crowd. Despite the badges he saw that seemed to be hating on Potter, these people sure seemed supportive of him. Cara was shouting as loud as she could, even Connor was clapping so hard that his palms stung and he'd never even met the bloke!

When he scooped up the golden egg, the crowd lost it. Connor was sure he would have trouble hearing after this all was over. Cara turned to him with a wild smile and asked "What did you think? Good first experience?"

Connor blinked once. Twice. Three times before his lips stretched into a giant grin, and he nodded "The best." He said "You've got more to show me though, right?"

"An absolute fuck tonne." She told him "C'mon, there's a party we've gotta get to."

"Party?! I'm not that kind of boy." She laughed at him, grabbing his bicep so that he followed, hot on his sister's heels until he was beside her. She looked down at him and he looked up at her, and it reminded him of a simpler time, a time in which his big sister protected him from the monsters under his bed, the crawlers in his wardrobe, when she was right there next to him, reading stories at night, teaching him football so he could play with the boys in the park around the corner. A time that was occurring now, the only welcoming hand into a world that should have been theirs.

And during that moment, Connor felt all the tension, fear, anger, anguish, grief and loneliness seep out of him – maybe not forever, but like when you slowly feel better after a cold. These horrible feelings would come back like the cold too, and cling to him like burdens but for now, he relaxed.


End file.
